Log:ACRO - Ghost In The Machine, Scene 2

ACRO - Ghost In The Machine 2006/03/02 	 Armament Dancing Coyote Eel Hugin Kibin Munin Random Factor Shoro

2

Wharf Street South(#197RDn)

This part of Wharf Street is the wealthier area along the docks with the Yacht club to the south, and several nice sized seafaring vessels docked nearby. A few of the more prominent businesses have a warehouse or two along this area, some even displaying boating goods for sale. Several streets branch off this part of the Wharf, Ming Street to the northwest, while Golden Sands Road angles off to the southwest. The impressive Colonial Bay Bridge is a popular tourist attraction with its grandiose modern design to the east which takes them on to Sandy Bottoms Island on the other side.

The heroes gather outside a rather non-descript looking warehouse, here in the relatively busy area of Wharf Street South. This is the address that was given by the Triad goon....and the claim was that the weapon suppliers use this place as a distribution point.

The weapons suppliers are, of course, ACRO...which is headed by Deus Ex Machina.

Dancing Coyote looks carefully into the warehouse (N-Ray 360) to see what awaits them...

Dancing Coyote nods to the group at large. "A couple of ACRO agents. Crates... probably full of weapons, though I'm unsure. What's the plan?"

Karlie is along, to lend a hand. As it turns out, she is going to annoy ACRO, in the name of removing Twist from the streets. "claim checks out. It's the place. or we're about to die in an unrelated high power electric accident.'

Random Factor says, "Well... do the agents just seem to be "grunts", or any "suits"?"

Kibin thinks it's good that Random Factor is asking. That way we won't have another incident like last time.

Dancing Coyote says, "Grunts, as far as I can tell. If there are more powerful opponents they are better hidden."

Barricade enters from Wharf Street North.

Eel says, "What are we hoping to find here?"

Dancing Coyote says, "If we can keep their blood supply in its accustomed location, that would probably be a good plan."

Kibin starts to ask Dancing Coyote what blood supply he meant, then realizes what he means.

'Good idea. You worry about that, I'll make sure we don't come out of this horizontally." Karlie shrugs.

Random Factor smirks at DC. He's not exactly SURE where this attitude is coming from. Maybe it's just an odd joke. Maybe.

Time passes, as the heroes wait outside the warehouse.

Random Factor says, "If it's just grunts, if we just burst in in force, they may just surrender. The IDEAL would be to take them in for further questioning and confiscate the weapons, for testing and evidence. If that's not possible, we should destroy the weapons."

Kibin says to Random Factor, "Let's go, then. Time is wasting."

Dancing Coyote nods. "Sounds reasonable. I'll come in around the back, we can take them from two directions."

Karlie nods. "i can bust the weapons if they aren't real sturdy. Catch pretty much all of them. Also catch anyone nearby."

Eel says, "Maybe we can sneak in and eavesdrop..."

Eel says, "Were there any problems with interrogating the prisoners before?"

Dancing Coyote casts Eagle's Wings and flies a broad circle around to the back of the building... wide enough to not be noticed by the folks inside... and waits for action to start.

Random Factor says, "This may be a trap, so watch yourselves. If this is "just" a warehouse, it's UNLIKELY we'd see any higherup, unless they call for back-up, but if we do enough damage..." He stops and glances at DC. "In terms of destroying weapons, annoying them... they may come looking for us, even if we can't find them.""

A sliding door opens up on the warehouse, as a truck arrives at the front door.

Kibin sighs, this is wasting time. He sneaks in one of the doors of the warehouse, trying to sneak unnoticed into the warehouse.

Random Factor says, "Then again..."

"no worries there. We're gonna annoy them a lot," Karlie promises.

Eel looks to Random. "It's your show."

"on the plus side the lizard's about to show us what kind of armaments they have ready now." Karlie muses.

Kibin waits for something to happen...

Kibin, you step inside, and start to look around. There are a couple of agents in the office. You also notice something else odd. Most of the crates are fairly small. There's one big one. About 10 feet long, and 4 feet in the other two dimensions. It also looks like a more seriously padded crate. Must be something important.

Random Factor winces. "Ok, let's head in before he gets hurt. Hopefully."

Kibin tries to listen to what they're talking about...

The truck finishes heading inside, and the door slides to a shut.

"Sure." Karlie nods, walking quietly as far as she knows toward the compound, moving without going really fast. She glances and focuses, looking for surveillance.

Random Factor fades to invisibility and moves ion.

Eel starts creeping up to the side of the building, keeping pace with Karlie.

Dancing Coyote notes that action seems to have started, albeit stealthy action, and sneaks up to the back o the building.

The group of you reach the respective doors without much problem.

"They know we're here for the most part," Karlie mentions. "cameras are set up well."

An agent steps out of the office, and notices Kibin, saying into his comm system, "We have an intruder...scramble!" He draws his rifle as he does.

Dancing Coyote thinks. o O (Kibin!)

Dancing Coyote thinks. o O (Yelling!)

Kibin trips a bit, and stumbles behind the crate as a blast of plasma energy goes over his shoulder, scorching the wall behind him.

"Give me one shot before you head in," Karlie suggests.

Eel nods to Karlie and holds.

Dancing Coyote, too far to hear Karlie's suggestion, looks through the back wall to find the source of the firing and then comes in through the back.

Kibin holds, waiting for them to come closer, and not wanting to expose himself to the plasma fire any more.

The agent is struck from behind and to the right...the crate crashes into him, sending him sprawling, and unconscious.

The agent steps out, peering around the corner at Dancing Coyote, and fires a shot from his pistol at him.

....and misses, striking the floor, leaving a scorch mark.

Karlie steps to get into sight of the warehouse, looking for the most effective central point to the weapon-weilding workers. She concentrates, gathering a large ball of violet energy in hand, and 'hurls' it to the central point. When it impacts, it explodes in a massive surge of electricity everywhere, frying unprotected electronics and doing a number on unprotected everything else.

The electrical burst goes off amidst the workers, and there's a fair amount of screaming...at least one says something like, "Oh my god!...what was that!?" Kibin and DC and the agent are all in the slight larger blast radius...

Kibin winces at the body. What the heck is Karlie thinking? He goes ahead and gets out from the crate, to go run at the guy still a threat, the guy with the pistol.

Dancing Coyote cringes a bit as the electrical field burns his skin. . o O (What was that?) Then he notices the heavily wounded workers and looks very unhappy.

Kibin tries to hit the agent with his tail, attempting to not break any bones like he's done before...

The agent is struck from behind, since he had turned to fire at DC. He drops to the ground, also unconscious.

Kibin rubs one of the electrical burns on his arm.

The workers are all looking at teh group of you in horror...like you might as well be terrorists yourselves. They back away to the wall...a couple of them saying things like "Please don't kill us! I have a family!"

Dancing Coyote rushes into the main room. He'd been interested in the DEM-sized crate, but is somewhat distracted by the wounded. He starts healing more or less indiscriminately.

Kibin thinks. o O (Can I ever go one day without getting a hole or a burn in my uniform?)

Karlie floats in, field surrounding her as she nears the workers and the now-nonfunctional weapons shipment. "i'll think about it," she replies to the pleas. "care to tell us a long story?"

The workers look much relieved when DC starts to heal them. One of them sneers at Karlie, "What do you want to know?"

Kibin says to Dancing Coyote, after he gets healed, "Thanks."

Kibin glares at Karlie, who gave him the electric shock.

There are 9 players connected.

Dancing Coyote nods. "You're welcome." He pries open the top of the large crate while Karlie talks to the workers.

Inside the crate is the Armament battlesuit, or a reasonable facsimile thereof.

Karlie points out, "he's healing you." She reaches with a violet glow to surround one of the weapons that turned intact due to the Coyote's interference, and draws it back to herself. "And these weapons." She looks it over. "I didn't know he could do that..." she frowns thoughtfully. "me? i'm just curious about who is writing your paychecks, where this was all going, where it came from, and," She turns toward the pistol-weilding one. "if he's in charge here. Answer truthfully, we all leave happy.'

Dancing Coyote shakes his head. Better to deal with this _before_ it becomes a threat. He picks the thing up and carries it out back... if it blows up, he'd rather be the only one affected.

The Armament suit's arm swings upward at DC, catching him a bit off guard...

Dancing Coyote says, "Karlie, can you disrupt its controls without killing anyone?"

The suit finishes rising to its feet as it finishes its swing at DC. It then speaks, "You never leave well enough alone, do you?"

Karlie nods. "if it's not shielded." She drops an intense magnetic field in the area, at its greatest power.

Dancing Coyote says, "You're notion of well-enough requires some clarification, doctor."

Armament: Big. That's the way to describe this huge suit of power armor, approximately 8 feet tall. The suit is metallic looking...and mostly white and silver. The helmet is white, aside from the darkened visor. The armored torso is white with the abdomen a red color, with a large letter 'A' where a belt buckle would go. The arms and legs are silvery-metal, and the gauntlets and boots are red.

Under his right arm is a rather large weapon of some variety, with a rotating set of cylinders, and tube to the armor's large white backpack. Next to the energy pack on his back is what appears to be a rocket launcher.

Kibin looks over to Karlie, waiting for her to do something.

Karlie focuses momentarily, and an intense magnetic field flows over the area, almost tangible to your average person. PDAs don't work so well now.

There doesn't seem to be any immediate effect on the suit of armor....it doesn't seem to slow down at all.

"Big surprise," Karlie says simply. "It's shielded. Want me to break it now?"

Kibin says, "That would be nice."

Kibin reasons that they wouldn't keep a person inside a crate... So he goes to attack the suit of armor, using the big claw on his foot since machines aren't as fleshy.

[To Karlie] Dancing Coyote says, "Go ahead and break it. Jacobs will no doubt escape, but that's better than letting him open fire in here."

"Right." Karlie nods. "just hold it."

Dancing Coyote nods to Karlie. "All right, I'll try."

Kibin has his claw just bounce off of the suit. That's odd. He tries again...

A similar result...the suit is knocked down where it is, not moving anywhere, the claws leaving some scratch marks, but that's it. The suit says, "I suppose I'll have to use full force. Very well."

Yutaka enters from Wharf Street North.

Kibin hmmmms. "You know, that was at least supposed to break something on that suit of armor."

[To Kibin] Dancing Coyote says, "It would appear the armor is armored."

"Yeah. i know." Karlie nods. "Armor's a pain in the ass to deal with."

Kibin says to Dancing Coyote, "I kind of figured that out."

Levels: None

Kibin wonders what the heck that armor is made out of.

Dancing Coyote applies foce, both to keep the armor pinned and, if possible, to crush its arms. (rolling STR to keep hold, then again for dmg)

Dancing Coyote blinks. The armor is weaker than he expected. Good to know. Also good there's nothing alive in there.

The armor is held without problem, "This is amusing...but ultimately futile, Mr. Coyote. You see...there are incoming...and none of you have the power to drop me before they arrive."

Kibin asks, "Who is they?"

"Good assumption,' mentions Karlie.

Armament doesn't try to get away from DC, he just attempts to slam an elbow into his gut, instead.

Dancing Coyote whoofs.

Armament says, "Perhaps I'll use the cannon next time...I should be able to fire it, and hit you in the leg without trouble, Mr. Coyote."

Dancing Coyote nods. "Perhaps. And if you could convince me you wouldn't use it against my colleagues instead, I might be tempted to let you go. But... I doubt you could."

Karlie charges up again, and sends a magnetic vortex toward the weapon, designed to cause havoc on the atomic level.

The attack bounces off the armor, not even leaving a scar on it. "See what I mean? If you all leave, that would be to your advantage."

Kibin asks, "How do we know you're not bluffing?"

"Great time t'get a power flux.." Karlie mutters.

Armament chuckles, "Why should I bluff?"

Kibin thinks about what he could do. Hmmm... He tries slashing at the armor again, most likely to no avail.

"yeah, I'm not exactly at the top of my game these days," Karlie shrugs.

Kibin hmmmphs. "Think you put enough armor on that thing?"

Armament chuckles, "An attack like that wouldn't even wound someone like Random Factor, let alone me."

Armament's rocket slides into place on his shoulder, "Enough of this farce. Goodbye." The rocket leaves the launcher, leaving a trail of exhaust behind it....heading toward the ground between Karlie and Kibin.

Kibin dives for cover behind Armament.

Dancing Coyote whoofs again, but continues to keep hold of Armament.

The explosion goes off, sending broken weapons and shrapnel flying.

Karlie tries to flinch to reduce the shock of the blast, but doesn't quite, and she stops floating, electric field fizzling out.

Kibin dives out of the way behind Armament, unfazed by the explosion.

Armament doesn't seem worse for wear, either...the explosion washing over him.

Dancing Coyote doesn't quite know what to do here... he is, among other things, largely exhausted. He continues to hold onto Jacobs' suit, hoping he has no other tricks like that up his sleeve.

The cannon is squeezed...and nothing happens. No bending...no breaking.

Armament makes a slight grumbling noise when the cannon is pinned against him. "Fine...we can do this the slow way." He tries to elbow DC again.

Dancing Coyote whoofs, barely conscious.

Dancing Coyote says, "Get the workers out of here! I'll hold him back as long as I can."

Armament chuckles, "I'm not going to attack the workers...they'll be fine. Your friends....they might not be."

Kibin looks at the workers, which are running away. They don't seem to have much problem with that. So he tries going for the claw attack again, most likely unsuccessfully...

More scraping along the front of the armor....but nothing else.

The workers continue running, and make it out of the warehouse...

Dancing Coyote nods, relieved.

Kibin hmmmphs. Stupid armor.

Kibin jumps foward to grab or attack something, then quickly jumps back.

Dancing Coyote yells "You can't damage the armor. I can't hold him for much longer. Get Karlie out of here before he kills you both!". He continues to hold on, dragging Jacobs away from the room if he can.

Kibin asks Armament, "Why are you doing this, anyway?"

Armament chuckles, "Why? Because you heroes have been a major pain for me and my plans. Dr. Hammer would be dead now, if it wasn't for your interference. And with Deus Ex messing with me, I'm trapped in this armor. And I need to take it out on someone. You."

Kibin asks, "Have you considered anger managment classes?"

Dancing Coyote says, "Alternatively, you could ask for our help getting out of that armor."

Having been let go, Armament raises his cannon toward Kibin, not saying anything as a hail of plasma fires out of the rotating cylinders...

Armament chuckles, "Alternatively, you could all flee, which I'm fine with."

Kibin coughs up blood, and hits the ground. Ow. He stares at the ceiling, suggesting, "Can we all just play a few video games and stop shooting at each other?

"So what you're saying is that you can't get out of that shell?" Karlie inquires.

Armament chuckles, "Something like that, yes."

Kibin asks, "Then why are you taking it out on us?"

"Because we're attacking him." Karlie answers.

Dancing Coyote prepares to interrupt Armament's next attack, if he can.

Armament chuckles, "Partially because I can...but mostly because I'm pissed off at you people. Leave me alone!" He opens up with his cannon again, this time strafing...trying to catch both Kibin and Karlie.

The loud explosion draws Yu's attention and he dips into a dark alley changing into his alias, he immediately goes to the source, being somewhat cautious..."

The shots go wide over Kibin and DC...and the strafing continues to Karlie, who deflects the only shot near her.

Kibin thinks. o O (Pretty plasma fire...)

Karlie's electric field blazes to life around her, catching the plasma and dissipating it. "Nice. That your best shot on me?" She does this with casual ease.

Kibin asks Armament, "If we don't attack you, can you stop attacking us, and doing criminal activities?" He's still pretty dazed, and on the ground.

Armament looks to Kibin, "I suggest you start running, then...I won't chase you out of here....flee, and save yourself."

Kibin says, "Won't abandon friends..."

Armament says, "You're all free to go...just leave me alone."

"should I point out now that we're not exactly friends?" Karlie asks, eyeing Armament. "ol' clatterbox here, he needs a good cleaning. Filled with glitches.'

Kibin says, "And must stop you giving plasma weapons that hurt..."

Armament chuckles, "That's not my decision to make."

Armament continues, "I'm a pawn now...much like yourselves."

Kibin asks, "Then why attack us? Why not come to Starguard so we can get you out of that suit?"

Kibin says, "Why not let us help you?

Armament looks at Kibin..."You don't understand my situation, do you? Mr. Coyote will explain it to you, I'm sure.

Kibin says, "You're being held hostage by an AI?"

Dancing Coyote looks up from the floor. "Honestly, I don't quite understand it myself. What hold does Deus Ex have on you?"

Kibin continues laying on the ground, looking at pretty birdies. Hate plasma weapons...

Armament shakes his head, "I can no longer transmit out of this suit. I'm blocked. Deus Ex is not just an AI. I'd call him a technomancer. He can do more than I ever imagined."

Kibin asks, "Is he with you right now?"

"So what's the plan here?" Karlie wonders, focused fully on the suit.

Kibin says to Karlie, "Talk, and hopefully not get blasted by plasma shotgun?"

"Right." Karlie moves to a foot away from Kibin and Dancing Coyote. "And after that?'

Armament shakes his head, "He's everywhere. In your PDA's. In this suit. In those trucks. If he wanted to, he could make his presence known."

"He's not on me," Karlie guarantees.

Dancing Coyote shrugs. "Well, pounding on each other seems to have accomplished little beyond injuring bystanders. Dr. Jacobs and we appear to have a common enemy. Perhaps we can concentrate our efforts on dealing with that enemy."

Kibin stands up, and shakes off being dazed.

Armament shakes his head, "I have no choice. And his agents are due here any..." And at that moment, the roof rips open, revealing two more suits of power armor.

Hugin and Munin: Two individuals in power armor. Hugin is apparently female, and Munin is male, based upon how the armor bulges in particular places. The armor is mostly flat black, and has a bird motif to it. The helmets look kind of like raven's heads, and there are painted 'feathers' on most of the armor. Hugin seems to have a weapon of some variety on her right gauntlet. Munin has no apparent weaponry. Both seem to have some kind of bootjets as well.

Hugin says, "We'll be taking designate Armament. Do not try to stop us."

Dancing Coyote says, "So, what do you expect will happen, Doctor? You spend your life killing people who -- " his question is cut off by the arrival of more warriors. "Oh.""

Kibin asks, "And if we do try and stop you?"

"Huh." Karlie looks at them. "so this was the backup you mentioned?"

Munin says, "Then you'll die. It'd take about four times as many heroes as you have here to take us both down."

Hugin chuckles, "Well, you probably wouldn't DIE...but you'll be hurting. A lot."

Kibin says, "I've hurt a lot before..."

Dancing Coyote sighs. "Doctor... this is your opportunity. If you are a willing slave of your technomancer, then return to him, and we will deal with you when the opportunity arises. If you are a free man, I will stand beside you. Which is it?"

Armament chuckles sadly, "I'm no longer a man of any sort...free or otherwise. I must go. Do not cross my path again....lest what will happen."

Kibin asks, "And why can't you resist?"

"Choosing not to," Karlie explains. "If he resists he gets punished.'

Armament shakes his head, "Because he would crush me in an instant...and kill my remaining family at the same time."

Dancing Coyote says, "We will cross paths, doctor. The only question is, will it be in an attempt to free you, or disable you? But it seems you have made the choice to be a slave, yes?"

Dancing Coyote casts Mind's Eye, as casually as he can, while seeming to check Kibin's wounds.

Kibin looks at his even more tattered uniform. How many has he gone through so far...

"if we fight now, everyone loses," Karlie says simply. "I'm inclined to believe what he says."

Armament shakes his head, "Don't EVER imply that again, Mr. Coyote. EVER." And then, electicity arcs from Munin's hand, and lifts Armament through the hole in the roof.

Dancing Coyote attempts to establish mental contact with the Armor as they leave (?)

Kibin has plasma burns.

"good luck," Karlie bids, departing.

The trio of power armored individuals fly off...Armament being carried.

Kibin says, "At least we got the weapons."

Dancing Coyote thinks. o O (Doctor... I meant what I said. If you wish freedom, we can help. Deus Ex's powers are technological, not magical... this channel is protected. Where is he, and how do we stop him?)

Dancing Coyote nods... then starts methodically smashing weapons crates. It accomplishes little, but it makes him feel marginally less frustrated.

Kibin kicks a weapon across the floor. Stupid plasma guns.

Barricade finally arrives in an SG hover vehicle.

Barricade looks for his teammates.

Kibin waves to Barricade.