Log:Tranquility Lost, Scene 6

Tranquility Lost 2021/10/22 	 Blok Dialydd Engelicus Golden Girl Griffin Grimm Magda Reactor Samuel Arthur Simkins Gargantua Green Ghost Horror 6

With the dinosaurian incursion handled, the heroes have proceeded to the moon to tackle the breakout there. The shuttle piot has, on their instructions, left them there while they proceeded into the prison. They have met the prison governor, Helen Armstrong, who says she has lost contact with all of the guards; the heroes themselves heard what sounded like the horrified final scream of one over radio. The heroes have proceeded to the first (middle) ring of the prison proper, and chosen to proceed clockwise, where they saw movement. This proved to be Green Ghost, who freed Gargantua and Arthur Simkins. Simkins was taken down before he could acts, while Gargantua, in reaction to Green Ghost being hurt, expanded excessively but only succeeded in crushing himself, breaking several ribs and knocking himself out, whereupon he shrank to normal size.

Other prisoners known to be on the loose are the tecnnological time-manipulator Timekeeper, the assassin, child-abductor and decay-causing Auntie Rotter, and Plamsa, whose body is made of her namesake. The on-and-off loss of power to prison systems and communications implies that the energy-dampening Blackout is also on the loose. It is probable some, perhaps many, others are free too! 

Green Ghost winces as Gargantua crushes himself. "I'll go get more help!" she announces as she slips down through the floor of Simkins' cell...

Golden Girl actives her x-ray vision. The prison dell rings are behind impenetrable blocks to her sight but she has been able to see within a ring. She looks to see what other prisomers are free and where they are.

Golden Girl speaks of what she sees. Green Ghost is slipping down past an impenetrable barrier, presumably to the underground ring. On the parts of this level I can see no one is visibly out of their cells, though a couple of cells have been broken open. Except for one, almost too far round the circle for me to see - a creepy-looking character from whom mist seems to be emerging. Also the lifeless bodies of a couple of guards. One looks like he shot himself in the head!

Golden Girl says, "The mist guy probably came from the cell with the name Horror on it."

Golden Girl ends saying twith anguish and anger, "They killed the guards!"

Engelicus's wings manifest again, and he flies off down the corridor, "Then there is no time to waste."

Engelicus flies into the thickening, spooky mist, the touch of which somehow is itself unnerving. He sees a man in a cape, like a villain from an old movie, standing above the body of a guard who has half his head fried by an energy weapon. Then the guard jerks up, in clumsy, zoombielike movements, and turn toward Engelicus!

Grimm frowns as Green Ghost escapes. "We could try to follow her and try to stop her getting more villains free. But really, we need to stop Blackout first so we have some hope of containing the prisoners and restraining those who are on the loose." She listens to Golden Girl's assessment. "There's a reason these criminals are locked up in Tranquility. And why we shouldn't split up chasing them. Let's deal with this floor first. Keep your ears and eyes open for any survivors we can still save." She walks towards the mist. "Usually darkness is MY ally, but I have a particularly cruel spell in mind for this guy," she smirks as she twists the aether. People thinks everyone's nightmares means darkness and horror. But some people's nightmares are much different. Darkness swirls around her hands, then begins to shift to light. She casts one hands in the direction of the Horror witin the dark, and a blast of bright, pastel rainbow-colored light with hues of pink and lavendar and baby blue streak into the darkness, rimmed with sparkles as Grimm cackles darkly. He's been spared unicorns. For now.

Grimm frowns as Green Ghost escapes. "We could try to follow her and try to stop her getting more villains free. But really, we need to stop Blackout first so we have some hope of containing the prisoners and restraining those who are on the loose." She listens to Golden Girl's assessment. "There's a reason these criminals are locked up in Tranquility. And why we shouldn't split up chasing them. Let's deal with this floor first. Keep your ears and eyes open for any survivors we can still save." She walks towards the mist. "Usually darkness is MY ally, but I have a particularly cruel spell in mind for this guy," she smirks as she twists the aether and teleports into the darkness. People thinks everyone's nightmares means darkness and horror. But some people's nightmares are much different. Darkness swirls around her hands, then begins to shift to light. She casts one hands in the direction of the Horror within the dark as a portal opens before her hand and at his side, and a blast of bright, pastel rainbow-colored light with hues of pink and lavendar and baby blue streak into the darkness, rimmed with sparkles as Grimm cackles darkly. He's been spared unicorns. For now.

Horror hits the wall hard enough too go sliding round its curve and out of sight! Whether the light harmed him is hard to say, so fast does it happen. But it clealy had its effect: the spooky fog dissipates, as do the other zombies that were beginning to lurch out of the mist toward the Engelicus and Grimm. The guard zombie, however, continues to lurch onward.

Sentinel sighs. "What happened to staying together?" He says as Engelicus flies ahead.

"I guess despite them being so different, some things remain the same." He muses before running to catch up with him- seemingly unaware of the fog's hidden dangers.

Once there, he holds the line for the others to catch up.

Spotting the zombie guard, Griffin holds his hand up and says, "Please halt, Sir. We're going to get you medical assistance but we need you to stand down."

Dialydd follows along after all the others, his greater-than-normal-human height not translating to any greater-than-normal-human landspeed, as he keeps an eye out for attacks from the sides it seems. Part of his attention is focussed on the Dream of Reality that surrounds him. Which is probably why he says over the SG comm, his voice deep calm and resonant, "The being ahead, the one being attacked and attacking, is, cha,a low-level reality warper. Not all he creates is illusion. Be wary of him."

Sam flies forward, the mist dissolves as the Horror is slammed against the wall, he slows and drops back to the floor as he nears the downed villain he trains his weapons on him. "Target down, not out though."

Blok will touch the unconscious villains (Gargantua and Simkins) to make sure they are stable.

Magda floats forward, keeping an eye on the heroes' back trail, wayching dor a possible ambush.

The zombie lurches toward and fires his gun at the person now closest to him - which is Sam.

Blok informs the others, "Arthur Simkins is about to wake up!"

Dialydd murmurs over the comm. "Give him a gentle tap to encourage staying down..."

Luckily, the zombie guarrd doesn't shoot as well as when he was alive. Maybe missing an eye, as well as most of the rest of that side of his head, doesn't help.

Magda adds to Dialydd's words, "Make it the hardest 'gentle' you can."

Engelicus continues flying around the circle, attempting to get back into sight of Horror, to make sure the villain stays down.

Golden Girl turns and reverses course, heading to the recovering Simkins. Bring a loosely closed hand around she goes for a slap rathere than a full blown punch.

The slap rocks Simkin's head around, the impack exhoing in the cell. He goes fully limp but without having his head slammed into a wall.

Engelicus can see that Horror is still active and able to fight. "You should feel those same horros you inflicted upon others." He reaches out one hand, and soulfire leaps out from it, toward Horror.

Horror emits a terrifying shriek - but is still conscious.

Grimm teleports closer to the Horror and radios back to Golden Girl, "Is Simkin's handled?". She sees Horror is sill conscious and tries to give him a subtle nudge to enhance Engelicus' soul fire with a bit of nightmare. The Horror is going to get a taste of his own medicine.

Golden Girl radios back to Senior SGG agent Grimm, "Yes, Ma'am. He's out cold and I don't think he'll be a problen now."

Sentinel charges the Zombie while he's focused on Samuel & attempts to sweep the leg.

The zombie falls over. "Brains....?" it says, confused.

<&lt;I've got this unfortunate guard on his back. Ms. Grimm how are you and our Godflora friend doing up there?>> Griffin inquires over comms.

Dialydd continues to calmly follow the others down the hallway, picking up the pace just a bit. Meanwhile, his mind keeps sorting through the immense amount of information coming in from the Dream of Reality.

The alien youth does say over the SG comm in a saddened tone, "The gaurd who is attacking is not alive in any sense. His spirit and mind are gone."

Horror shakes of the effect of the impact on the wall - but finds himself outnumber by people rather tougher than the guards were.

Dialydd then adds in the same tone, "And we will need Starguard to bring a Holy One here. There are unquiet spirits of the dead lingering due to the manner of their deaths." Those near the alien youth might now notice his clothing and appearance have changed as he speaks those words.

Magda moves forward, coming into view of Horror. "Surrender," she suggests conversationally.

Reactor continues to wait back at the ship, listening to the chatter over the comm's in cast they require assistance. Thankfully there is plenty of space to move around as standing still bored him like nothing else, as he would love to cut loose a little but but it seems his aid is currently not required.

Horror laughs, with a scary lack of sanity in his face. "You have no idea the forces you are dealing with!"

"Unfortunately for you," Korkoro says, "I do."

Griffin turns to look at Dialydd to ask, "There's nothing we can do for these zombies?" He has to be sure.

The alien youth shakes his head. "Unless you can return their lives and their spirits, they are gone. These are but, cha, puppets now."

Magda's blast bounces Horror into the wall, but clearly does little more than knock him around.

Magda looks peeved. "So much for being gentle."

Blok moves on to rejoin the others.

The zombie lurches to its feet again, but forgets its gun on the ground. It tries to grab Sentinel's head so it can eat his brains.

The zombie, naturally, is too slow.

"That's well beyond me." Griffin says to Dialydd as he ducks out of the way of the zombie with barely a glance over his shoulder.

He visibly steeles himself to put the zombie out of his misery.

Engelicus sees that Horror is still up...and he unleashes another torrent of soulfire at the villain. This time, he uses both hands rather than one. "You will suffer the pain you have caused, villain."

Horror seems quite surprised as he slumps to the ground, defeated.

Golden Girl flies back to the entrance where Reactor is guarding the Governor. "Hi. My name's Golden Girl. I need a break to recover. I'll take over here to guard the Prison Governor and the rear of the group. Can you replace me? Head to the middle ring, it's signposted, and then go left."

Reactor glances up, or down, depending on where he's hovering, and nods. Clearly glad to be off baby-sitting duty, smiling behind his mask'd helmet he gives a brief salute and heads off to the middle ring to join the others.

Dialydd murmurs to Griffin. "Do you wish me to put him down, ser? I am trained for that."

Grimm catches her breath. "This place is too big. I could try some serious magic to...try to compel everyone in their cells. But you all wouldn't be immune per se. You may just end up marching into cells, too. Perhaps...I can compel them not to kill. It wouldn't bother us, and it may save some lives."

It's clear, now the fighting has stopped, that Horror was a much mire formidable foe for the guards than the heroes. No fewer than 5 bodies are nearby, and all seem to have died with looks of terror on their faces, one way or another

Griffin shakes his head. "No. I've got it, Kid." He says as he turns back to the former guard.

"Thank you for your sacrifice." He says as he turns and puts his hands on the zombie's shoulders as his eyes glow brighter.

He looks the zombie in the eyes for a long moment, hoping to see some kind of proof Dialydd is wrong, but he finds nothing.

He looks up at the man's forehead and two pencil thin beams burn a hole through the zombie's forehead & prepares to catch the limp remains.

Blok checks the guards in case any are only mostly dead.

Engelicus looks at the dead bodies. "This prisoner did this?" He motions to Horror. "Why do you let killers live on this world? I do not understand."

Grimm straightens up after catching her breath. "We don't execute people anymore. It's also why he isn't on our world anymore. This place is for those who don't deserve to be free on our planet."

Further still round the circle, their is evidence of other guards having died in another fashion. Though not much: piles of dust and bits of armour or weapons, still rapidly decaying, indicate Auntie Rotter's handiwork - this outside the opened cell of Plasma.

Blok says, "If we kill them, how are we any better?"

Reactor looks around to see what he can do to be of service, even checking the security controls in case it might be possible to lock the captured prisoners back in their cells. Or if the computers were disabled/destroyed to prevent such a thing.

Reactor finds that the vacated cells have been rendered unusable, one way or another. Either by the decaying of Auntie Rotter or by Green Ghost's having left objects *through* key mechanisms.

Dialydd listens quietly to the conversation as he goes make certain that the three living prisoners are secure and unconscious. "For a limited number of crimes, death should be the reward for the action. But, if humanity choses otherwise, that is their choice. And so, I must respect that if not the sentiment behind the decision." His tone is carefully neutral.

Samuel looks over to Engelicus. "If we kill everyone who kills, then where does it stop?" He studies the Horror and then his victims. "It's hard to justify that stance some times." He considers the cells. "We need a way to track blackout, once he's back in his cell we'll be able to reassert some degree of control."

All cells on this level that still have their occupants, however, seem to maintain intact. Just as well, noting some of the names on the doors, like Grond!

Magda glances aside towards Blok's 'how are we any better' with a slight, contemptuous twist of her lips, but she says, "Because some of them -- not all, but some -- can be redeemed, Engelicus. We simply don't know which might be which."

Engelicus tilts his head, and looks to Blok, "We would not have killed those that are innocent. That is how we would be better." He nods to Grimm's explanation. "I understand that it is your laws...I just am confused by the logic of them."

Griffin is decidely quiet on the question from the Godflora. He's a soldier, and will do what is required- but no more, and will certainly respect the rule of law.

Engelicus looks around at the dead bodies. "Do we believe this one can...be redeemed?"

Grimm frowns. "No. He was imprisoned most likely for crimes like this, and committed them as soon as he got out. He's never leaving this place."

"Sadly, that one's powers over Reality have destroyed their mind. Sanity is no longer in their grasp," the alien youth murmurs.

"That," Magda says firmly to Engelicus, "is not our -- or your -- decision to make."

Samuel looks at the systems, regarding the place thoughtfully. "I may have to see about helping with some upgrades on this place."

Engelicus looks impassively at Magda, "I did not say it was. I am merely trying to understand your judicial system, such as it is. Is that...not appropriate? Should I not be asking questions about this alien world I find myself on?"

"Yes," Magda says, "but /afterwards./ Is this level clear??" she adds loudly.

"Can you see about maybe getting one of these cells working so we can put these escapees into a secure location until things are back under control?" Griffin asks Samuel. "I know the power is spotty, but anythings better than leaving them behind to flank us when they wake up with a bad headache."

Grimm steps over to Dialydd, sideglancing at the bodies. "I think I'm going to try it. Compel whoever I can to not kill. We...we can't save everyone in a place this big."

Dialydd stands over Gargantua looking down at them. He moves a hand over his as if casting out seeds, but instead a silvery sand falls on and into the vil. Their breathing smoothes, they relax, and then seem to fallinto a deep slumber.

As he moves towards Arthur Simkins, "They will sleep soundly. Try not to awaken them," he says in soft voice.

Grimm takes a breath and finds a clean space on the ground to sit down on and crosses her legs, staying away from the bodies.

Reactor finds that the systems are too unreliable to learn much about what's going on on the other. That said, it's clear from the relative amount of systems failure that Blackout, at least, is located on the lower level. The upper level appears to be intact, when any information is avaiable.

"I can deal with that. Thank you." Griffin says to Dialydd before looking toward where they need to press on to next- eyes always focused forward.

Reactor grumbles, " This black out is making a mess of the lower levels, I can't get any clear infomration off this computer while he's free. That and the whole systems out of wack, just hope he doesn't disrupt it enough that the power core goes unstable. "

Grimm focuses her mind and tries something she hasn't on this scale before. A simple telepathic edict to not kill or maim anyone, reinforced by fear. She'll have no idea if it'll work, but she has to try if it'll save a few lives. It just might wipe her out to do such a feat, though.

Dialydd moves onto casting 'sand' onto Arthur Simkins then Horror while Grimm does that voodoo she do so well.

Engelicus looks to Magda, and then says to everyone, "Can anyone sense other loose prisoners on this level? If no one can, I shall scout."

Grimm answers Engelicus, "Sometimes, but I can't easily sense things in this place. Also...I'm a bit busy." Of course, she's just sitting on the floor, legs crossed, hands on knees, with her eyes closed. She doesn't look busy at all.

Engelicus nods as Grimm answers. "I shall scout, then. I will be back." He takes off again, starting to fly around the circle, seeing if there are other prisoners loose on this floor.

Samuel moves amongst the cells, checking the damage, at times he removes parts from the cells too damaged to work with. He eventually picks one of the cells and gets to work. "I can give you a cell, secured mechanically, not electronically.

Dialydd watches Samuel go about fixing a cell while sometimes glancing over at Grimm. THe majority of attention he keeps on the prisoners and their sleep.

Magda nods to Engelicus. "Go ahead."

"Definitely having a hard time sensing through everything- so a scout will definitely be useful, but do not engage alone. Everyone here is much more dnagerous than they might appear, deadlier. And anyone getting out could be calamity for everyone." Griffin says. "We'll post-up here while Ms. Grimm .... completes her task. It'll buy Samuel & Reactor time to works on the cell doors." He adds.

Engelicus finds no loose prisoners on the floor. He does find evidence of forced entrance to the stairwells, though.

Engelicus comes back around the circle to where the others are. "I did not see any further prisoners loose. But...there was a door that was forced. I believe it goes to a stairwell."

Grimm finally finishes whatever she was doing. She was holding her breath, but suddenly she lets it out and takes a big breath, toppling partially and catching herself by planting her hands behind her. "Whoa...feel dizzy after channeling that much force of will...."

Magda nods to Engelicus. "Thank you; well done."

"Well, good news Ms. Grimm- thanks to our Godflora-connection, we've verified this floor is cleared, so take some time to catch your breath and then we'll push on." Griffin says encouragingly as he gives Engelicus a nod in agreement with Magda.

Blok says, "We know that at least one prisoner is loose downstairs - Green Ghost - and we suspect that others are down there as well. I think we should go down."

"Agreed." Griffin says before rounding up the field team and takes the lead down teh stairs. He requests that Golden Girl hold up the rear just incase someone tries to sneak up behind them.

Magda moves along in the rear, pausing to fuse the stairwell door to the jamb to prevent re-entry or exit, then goes to the upstairs door to do the same there.