Log:In a Mirror Darkly, Scene 2

In a Mirror Darkly 2009/08/24 	 Halo Jennifer Lady Luck Lightray Sable Titan 2

In our last episode, Jennifer, Lady Luck, and Bard arrived at the First Virginian Bank, responding to a report of a hostage situation. They were able to beat the bandits and trap their leader, Mind Force, in the bank vault. Just after they secured the bank, however, three combat robots showed up.

One of the robots blew up a police car when approached by officers. When the heroes emerged from the bank, the trio robots focused on Jennifer. One of the robots announcing: "Target Acquired. Directive: Terminate."

Combat Droids

Three robots that look like a combination of half-plane, half android. Each one is large ( -2 DCV ) with a jet-like fixed wings. Each one is armed with a pair of laser cannons and twin rocket launchers. They stand on stubby looking legs and are equipped with thrusters on their backs and feet. These models do not have arms.

Jennifer blinks a little puzzled, the puzzlement hardly clearing at all on recognizing the style of robots seen in her dream, "Huh, normally it takes a couple of minutes at least before people want to kill me."

Jennifer adds, "I don't suppose you want to talk about this?"

Lightray comes swooping in from the sky aove the city. His tendril-like wings spread out as he hovers, passing harmlessly through a streetlight as he stays a few meters above street level. He calls out, "Need a hand?"

Titan arrives, having responded to the hostage situation call on the police bands. He arcs over the building, and lands on the sidewalk, cracking it slightly.

Lady Luck says, "Hey, don't pick on her, she's ine of the good guys!"

Lady Luck raises her hand toward the nearest of the three robots.

Jennifer glances over and up towards Lightray, "I wouldn't say no to a helping hand. Although a good strong blast would be even more welcomed."

Lady Luck sends some of her light motes, now a deep indigo, shooting toward the nearest robot.

Lady Luck looks hopefully for any sign of damage. . o O ( Small machines break easier. )

Smoke begins to rise from the rear thruster pack of the robot that Lady Luck has targetted. "Warning: fuel cell temparature reaching red line levels."

The robot is still moving despite smouldering.

Jennifer guesses talking isn't going to be useful. So she moves towards one of the droids, opening a gap between herself any others in case the robots open up with area effecting weapons. Makign a small leap at the end of her move she swings both feet up and slams them into the side of the robot.

The robot's body twists slightly with the force of Jennifer's kick, but it holds it's ground. A dent in it's metal plating marks where the blow landed.

One robot that Lady Luck is facing turns and trains its guns on the hero. "Obstacle detected. Eliminating obstacle..." It fires it's laser cannons at her.

The robot misses Lady Luck and the stray laser blast cuts down utility pole. Wires snap free from the falling pole causing electrified cables to swing into one of the robots. A flurry of sparks fly and the robot falls over in a smoking, inert heap.

Jennifer shouts at the droid attacking Lady Luck, "Hey! Listen up, you tin plated mechanical moron. It's me you're supposed to be termining, remember. Stop shooting at other people."

The other two robots oblige Jennifer's wishes, turning their laser cannons on her.

The robots miss. The blast opens a small hole in the pavement next to Jennifer, while the other shatters the glass storefront of the First Virginian Bank.

Sable races from rooftop to rooftop, streaking across the city's skyline in a series of swift sprints and gracefully arcing leaps as she easily outraces local traffic, closing in on the scene of the disturbance. Her lips compress tightly as she gets close enough to observe the carnage first-hand and steers toward the nearest of the mechanical menaces. "Sorry for being so slow gang."

Lightray grins as he flies towards an undamaged robot. After about 10 meters Lightray raises a hand and launches a coruscating sun beam at the combat machine.

Lady Luck giggles. "Robots usually aren't very good shots. Silly robots."

Lightray's blast catches the robot in it's side. It falls to budge the machine, but it did seem to catch its attention.

Jennifer grins as she sees Sable, "Hi. Welcome to the party."

Lady Luck doesn't recognise Sable, but greets her with a wave and a "hi!" despite the robot looming over her.

Titan jumps toward one of the robots in the middle of their formation. "You've run into a bit more resistance than you think!" He prepares himself to go for a huge uppercut against the robot in front of him.

Wham! Titan's blow strikes the robot and topples it onto its side. It twitches and kicks its legs, struggling to right itself.

Sable's mouth drop open a little as Titan simply smashes one of the droids back a good 20 feet. "Wow... I get the feeling I'm fighting way out of my weight class." She dashes across to where Amy is engaged with her monstrous opponent.

Sable says, "As she nears the metallic menace Sable kicks into a small leap that carries her into a superman-style punch aimed at the robot's sensor-packet."

Jennifer calls over to Sable, "Hit them on the rear panel between the thruster pods. They're likely to be weaker there."

Lightray flies right up to the combat robot nearest himself dropping in altitude as he does. As he approaches a sword of sunlight forms in his hands with which he then swings at the machine's central body trying to hit the rea paneal per Jennifer'.

Lady Luck says, "Hey Jennifer - do you know why they don't like you?"

Lady Luck pours the bad luck onto the robot she's damaged, concentrating the sombre-looking light motes about the part that is already smoking - seems the best place!

"Fuel cell overheat detected. Shutting down." The robot powers down.

Jennifer says, "Maybe because I beat them up in a dream I had? I'll tell you about it when I'm a little less busy."

Lady Luck claps as the robot shuts down.

Sable lands after her leaping punch, just in time to realise her hit was of next to no use and she smiles to Lady Luck. "I should have known you wouldn't need help."

Lady Luck says, "It's ok I didn't know - lets go help the others!"

Jennifer leaps for the droid's top section and tries to summersault over twisting as she does to strike with a solid kick at the weak spot she dreamed of.

Sable says, "Great plan." She beams "Which do you think is the more frail Jenn or Titan?""

Lady Luck says, "I only saw Titan at Best of the Best!"

Sable's head bobs up and down as she follows Jenn's insanely nimble leap. "I'm going to go with Titan, who while incredibly strong doesn't move like a cat on speed."

Lady Luck says, "Yeah but it's Jenn they want to kill...."

Jennifer's kick collapses in a section of the robots rear where it's not well armored. There's a small explosion that erupts through the frame of the robot from rear to front, causing smoke and fire to vent briefly from its weapon ports. The robot falls forward onto it's nose and stops moving.

Sable says, "Then their big mistake was a fundamentally flawed strategy, I suggest we let them suffer for it."

Lady Luck shrugs. "Robots are dumb."

The robot in front of Titan fires it's thrusters and rights itself onto its feet.

Lightray flies right up to the combat robot nearest himself dropping in altitude as he does. As he approaches a sword of sunlight forms in his hands with which he then swings at back the machine's central body trying to hit the rear panel per Jennifer's suggestion.

The energy blade cuts into the robot, but not deeply enough to reach its critical systems.

Titan takes another swing at the robot that's gotten up in front of him...not taking the extra time this time. He just takes a regular punch at the midsection.

Titan's fist lands with enough power to lift the robot into the air and propel it backwards. It lands upside down and it's top side crumples as it skids across the pavement. The robot stops moving.

Sable's head shakes ruefully from side to side. "I'm just not in the hunt when it comes to fire-power. Great work you guys, you kicked their heinies."

Jennifer asks, "Everyone okay?"

Lightray smiles slightly as his sword disappates. "Yes, Jennifer. Surprisingly I was not knocked out...for once," he says in ajovial tone.

Sable looks from one to the other of the heroes, apparently waiting for anyone who might have actually been in the combat to announce any injuries.

Titan looks around at the others. "There any more villains inside the place?" He appears to be fine.

Sable says, "Titans knuckles have *GOT* to hurt though."

Lady Luck says, "Only the one locked in the vault!"

Lady Luck says, "But he can't get out."

A glowing figure appear to approcah rapidly in the sky. A woman surrounded in halo-auras arrives. Looking around for continusing mahem, but seeing that things apprea under control, she softly foats over to where the other heroes have congregated. "Hello" Halo nods to everyone. "things all warped up here?"

Titan shakes his head, "Nope. Not really. Maybe they sting a little." He grins.

Jennifer laughs, "I'd forgotten about him."

Lightray looks over Lady Luck and Jennifer. "Are you certain he cannot escape?"

Lady Luck says, "We need to get him out while he still has air. Um... so what is going on? Does he have something to do with these robots?"

Titan waves to Halo as she arrives. "It's mostly wrapped up. There's one more villain inside hte bank, locked in the vault."

Sable says, "I'm certain the bank manager and the authorities will keep the vault situation under control. Were the robots part of the heist or an mbush for whenthe cavalry arrived."

Jennifer says, "I doubt there's any connection, Amy. But we can ask. After we get this sorted out I think I'd better explain what little I know about the robots."

Lady Luck says, "Uh-huh! Do you know who the guy in the vault is anyone? What did he say he was called again?"

Lady Luck says, "Oh yeah, Mind Force!"

Lightray just listens quietly to the others as he lets his gaze travel over the surrounding area and bystanders.

Sable says, "Does anyone know anything useful about machines then, we may be able to tell something about who made them, and where, and from what, all that detective-y stuff they do on TV."

Titan raises a brow, "'Mind Force'? Mentalist? Or a telekinetic?

Halo says, "Mind force. Was he a mental-type?"

Lady Luck says, "He said he has telekinesis and he was banging hard on the door a lot so I guess so!"

Jennifer says, "Let's check them out for maker's IDs, serial numbers, etc."

Lady Luck says, "Good idea!"

Lady Luck check the robots for such things.

There are already police and news crews on the scene. TV crews continue to film from beyond the police perimeter. Police await for an all-clear from the heroes.

Sable moves over to expect one of the defunct machines, examining it with some care before moving toward the cockpit housing to inspect the controls in greater detail.

Halo seems perplexed about Mind force, so she heads over to inspect another of the downed robots.

Lightray hmms. "Mind Force, huh? Low rent telekinetic for hire from what I understand. He works for the Bortherhood of Amoral Dudes and moonlights with local organized crime." He says this as he goes down onone knee next to a robot to examine it.

Titan says, "Well, we clearly have to get him out of the vault. Get him to surrender. All that good stuff."

Lady Luck says, "He surrendered already!"

Jennifer says, "If he has any sense he'll stay surrendered."

Sable straightens and looks around the area for a few moments. "It seems safe enough to let the police in, Lightray could you please do a sweep from the air just to make sure? I'll check the rest of the bank for anyone we may have missed.

Lady Luck gets tired searching for the name and sits down on the broken robot. "Hey, what's this?"

Lady Luck picks up a memory chip.

Lady Luck says, "It looks like it fell out of that computer thing....."

Lightray goes up to do a quick sweep of the air per Sable's suggestion.

Sable heads into the bank to check for any accomplices or assistants or even bystanders who might have been missed previously

Lady Luck shrugs, since no one seems to be paying attention, and digs out her PDA to see if it can read it.

Titan looks around at the surrounding area. "If the robots weren't with the guy inside, they were sent by someone, right? Perhaps they're nearby."

Lightray comes back down to the rest of the heroes. "NOthing out of the ordianry that I could perceive from up there."

Lady Luck tries inserting the chip in the PDA's slot.

Halo looks around for injured heroes and civilians. Prerhaps she can be of assistance to them?

Jennifer nods, "Thanks for your assistance, Lightray. Thanks to everyone in fact. So who wants to hear my strange tale?"

Lady Luck says, "Me! I do!"

Jennifer nods and begins speaking...

Jennifer says, "It.. well, what happened, maybe happened, or might happen, anyway, whatever, it was a dream I had. I was laying in wait for a convey of three cars. Black limos. You know the type, official VIPs type transport. It was a main road somewhere in a Chinese city. The people were speaking Chinese and the shop signs were also Chinese.

So it's pretty obvious in laired up waiting for a target. Which seems to be a caravan of three black sedans. In the dream, I detonate a roadside bomb disabling the first of the three vehicles. At the same time I use a whip to overturn the last of the three vehicles, pinning the middle vehicle in place.

Five bodyguards emerge from the middle and last vehicles. One of them rushes two VIPs to safety, while the four others try to delay me. I dispatch the bodyguards with lethal force. Reinforcements for the bodyguards arrive. Some of these robots. UAVs armed with laser cannons. I destroy the robots and chase after the VIPs.

So it's not a long chase. The final bodyguard goes goodnight and I ignore one of the VIPs who seems to be an Asian man in his fifties. But I eliminate the other VIP, who appears to be Jon Masters of Transmat. This is when the dream ends."

Halo spinss in the air, and flies over to listen. Her curiosity displayed like a young child.

Jennifer shrugs, "Weird. Not a little disturbing."

Titan says, "Huh. Is it possible you're sharing dreams with someone else? Or perhaps it's a vision of the future?"

Lady Luck says, "Huh. That is a weird dream. Hey, want to know where the robots came from?"

Halo says, "You knwo where they came from?"

Sable returns from her patrol of the bank and rejoins the heroes ouside. "I surely would, do we know if the robots are fully autonomous or controlled remotely?"

Jennifer nods, "Both those are possible, Titan. My.. uh.. sister and I are mindlinked. It's a family trait. It's not entirely unheard of for another Wol.. another one in the family to share thoughts. Or I could be mind controlled when the assassination takes place."

Lady Luck says, "The robot knew, this is its memory chip! It was programmed to attack Jennifer with TV footage of her at the bank, and it knows where it came from."

Lightray looks at Jennifer for a moment before murmuring, "With a relative perhaps?"

Jennifer nods, "It's possible."

Lady Luck shows the GPS information to Halo, since no one else seems to be listenng to her.

Sable says, "Dreams may also result from experiences in alternative realities."

Jennifer says, "I did some checking up. The city. I identified it. Shanghai. I also checked to someone in TransMat. Jon Masters might well be going to China next month."

Titan looks to Lady Luck, "You have coordinates for where they're from?"

Lady Luck says, "Uh-huh!"

Lightray looks over at Lady Luck with a gentle smile. "How fortuitous."

Lady Luck holds up her PDA, now displaying the robot's route, showing it travelling in from a suburb. "See?"

Halo Hrmms. "Knwo anything about that company, National Dynamics, anyone?"

Jennifer says, "I'd suggest going and seeing what is there. But... Look, some of you know this. Some don't. If it's one of my family there I'll be susceptible to his or her influence."

Lady Luck says, "Your family?"

Lightray shakes his head. "Well, let us hope no one from your family is there, Jennifer."

Jennifer says, "I'm Wolfguard. Well I was. My sisters and brothers and I left when we were eight."

Titan nods slowly, listening to the discussion.

Sable says, "Well, we can take it cautiously, and use a reconnaissance team to determine if there is a Wolfguard presence."

Lady Luck says, "Oh, those are those really bad guys in Europe, right?"

Jennifer nods, "Yes, Amy. Really bad guys."

Lady Luck says, "Well I still think we should go, or they might get away, whoever they are!"

Titan says, "Sounds reasonable to me. Let's check out where they left from."

Sable says, "I concur, but we should be careful not to blunder into a trap, which is very much Wolfguard's style."

Lady Luck says, "Of course, villains often get away *anyway*, but it's good if you thwart them first."

Jennifer says, "I agree. But be careful. And someone else should take the scouting role. I'm too much of a risk if I'm spotted."

Lady Luck says, "ok!"

Sable says, "I'll take scouting duties, you guys can stay as a mobile reserve for when I get spotted and need to be rescued."

Lightray comes over to listen to the others.

Lady Luck says, "So let's go!"

Lady Luck checks the map again.

Jennifer looks at Amy, "This is the place?"

The GPS coordinates lead to small corporate building setting into a hill over looking the city. The company is called Leading Edge Experiments, Inc. The office is quiet - no cars in the lot in front. It looks as though perhaps the company has yet to move into this space.

Titan stays back in reserve for the moment.

Jennifer says, "Oh. Just a thought. Uh, maybe they think I'm a bad girl assassin and they are good guys. Maybe. Worth bearing the possibility in mind."

Lady Luck thinks. o O (Oh, she went too quickly. I could have given her some good luck first!)

Lady Luck says, "Maybe who thinks that?"

Sable moves cautiously forward from the staging point the group has chosen, making the best of the available cover and carefully examining her path to the corporate headquarters. Though initially slow her movements become more assured as she nears the building itself, apparently having a better idea of the limits of the surveillance system in place.

 Sable says, "Looks fairly standard"

Titan says, "I suppose it's possible."

Jennifer says, "Not that good though. They didn't try to get me arrested, or talk to me. Nope, straight to the sending droids to kill me stage. So screw them. Let's kick butt."

 Sable says, "I'm looking for a way in, does anyone object to the roof?"

Titan chuckles.

Lightray smiles slightly. "An agreeable attitude, Jennifer."

 Titan says, "Sounds good to me."

Lady Luck says, "Yeah, they shot at me too!"

Lady Luck is blissfully unaware of the radio conversation.

Sable pauses momentarily to consider her options befor slipping up to the wall of the building and starting to cliimb using the ledges and window frames, moving smoothly but through and elaborate pattern to skirt past the array of sensors and alarms

Lady Luck says, "I hate waiting."

Jennifer says, "Drat!"

Lady Luck says, "What?"

Lightray looks over at Jennifer. "Drat?"

 Sable says, "I'm moving on the door"

 Sable says, "can you guys land on the roof?"

Jennifer says, "I forgot to go back to the roof and pick up my swingline."

Titan says, "Sable's trying the roof. There's a door there."

 Titan says, "Yeah, we can get up there."

Sable makes it onto the roof and cross to the access door where she sets to work trying to open it without setting off any alarms

Jennifer says, "I meant the roof of the bank."

 Sable says, "Get ready to come in then, once I've opened it we'll know if Wolfguard are involved."

Titan nods. "Still, we can get up there if we need to, between myself and Lightray."

Lady Luck says, "Maybe we'll find another one... Hey, you have a radio!"

 Titan says, "Alright."

Titan says, "She wants us to get up there shortly."

 Sable says, "the stairs are clear of explosives, this really doesn't look like Wolfguard."

 Sable says, "I'll wait for you guys to get up here"

Titan says, "She thinks it isn't Wolfguard. She's waiting until we get up there. Everyone ready?"

 Titan says, "Alright."

Lady Luck says, "Uh-huh! Let's go!"

Jennifer nods

Titan smiles. "Lightray, would you like to help carry someone? Or do I need to carry both of the ladies?"

Lightray goes over to Lady Luck and offers her his arms. "Care for a ligt, my dear?"

Lady Luck laughs, "Ok, thanks! We're flying, not sneaking then?"

Jennifer says, "Looks like it's me and you Titan."

Titan smiles. "Sounds good." He moves over to Jennifer, and picks her up in his arms. "Just hang on tight." He waits for her to get a good grip, and then leaps up onto the roof of the building.

Lightray lifts Lady Luck into his arms as he says, "Well, seeing as I glow, its hard for me to sneak." He then takes to the sky, keeping as much cover between himself and the building before reaching the roof.

Lady Luck says, "Uh-huh! I'm kind of obvious myself!"

Sable smiles as everyone settles onto the roof and she starts stealthily down the stairwell to investigate its confines.

The first level of the building is quiet and empty. Mostly the place still looks unfinished, with plastic sheeting instead of walls in some places. Dust and bits of plaster coat most of the horizontal surfaces. The lights are off but daylight does carry in from the outside.

Lightray sets Lady Luck down on the roof and takes up watching for anyting popping up unexpectedly.

The stairs from the roof lead to the first floor, but they also continue down to a basement.

Lady Luck follows in the building.

Sable gestures for everyone to follow

Titan follows down the stairs, trying to be relatively quiet. Hah.

Jennifer keeps silent and merely curses mentally. She forgot to pick up her sword, which she removed and entrusted to one of Sgt Fowlers' men before clambering around inside the ventilation system on the bank. Across the city, Jessica starts making her way to retrieve the items.

Jennifer follows Sable's lead.

Lady Luck follows Sable, whichever way she's going. She's the scout, after all.

Sable leads the way across the the doorway leading further into the complex and inspects it carefully for traps, alarms, pitfalls, explosives and such-like.

The first area looks like it will be a cubicle farm. All of the cubes are unoccupied.

Sable opens the door leading further into the building.

The stairs down lead into a basement. Things are equally quiet, except for the hum coming from the power system.

Lady Luck looks about. They have to be somewhere, right?

Sable cautiously moves into the stairwell leading to the basement, picking her way as quietly as possible down the corridor.

Lady Luck trips and ends up with her face almost into a wall - and grins! She waves Sable over.

Lady Luck points to the outline of a secret door, and a button.

Sable retraces her steps and crosses to where LL stands by the wall, looking from the diminutive woman to the wall itself

Lady Luck makes a jabbing motion at the button with an inquisitive look.

Sable examines the lock for a few moments before lifting her elbow to press the button.

The button clicks and reveals a hightech lock, with a retina scanner and a microphone for voice printing.

Sable leans in to the exposed controls and starts meddling with it, loosening the screws on the lead control panel to access the wiring which she begins to manipulate in earnest. She glances at the dooway expectantly.

Lady Luck readies herself in case there's trouble when the door opens.

K-chunk. There's the sound of heavy metal shfting inside the door. It recedes into the wall before sliding open. As it slides away, it's clear that the door is heavy and and nearly two feet thick. It reveals a hallway, 4" long. It's white and seems sterile and it ends at another door locked with with a retina scan and voiceprinter.

Sable looks to Amy before mouthing softly. "Well there's something you don't see every day." She examines the short corridor beyond for any signs of traps or anti-personnel devices before moving in to examine the second door.

Lady Luck says, "Yeah, but I've seen villains' bases before."

Sable moves into the small chamber and gestures for the others to crowd in after her. "We're going to have to shut the outer door.

Lady Luck says, "Like an airlock?"

Sable nods. "Exactly

Lady Luck says, "I hope there's air on the other side then!"

Sable says, "I'm hopeful too, we'll find out when we get there."

"Access denied. Please try again." The lock says.

Lady Luck says, "Maybe I can hep?"

Lady Luck send her lucky motes of light in Sable's direction.

Sable's lips compress and she tries that again, this time taking a bit more care.

Sable repeats her delicate machinations on the inner workings of the inner lock to work the door open.

K-chunk. The heavy door opens up in a similar fashion to the first one. The room beyond it is a large, high ceiling space about the size of the gymnasium. There's a flash of light and quickly the surrounding change. It's a training room, like the one at Steel's Gym, and it's now being reconfigured...

Sable moves into the room beyond where at least she will have some room to maneuver and readies her stance, knees flexing slightly as she comes en garde

The location: A downtown section of a major Chinese metropolis at night. Street lamps and neon signs light the area. The doorway opens onto a busy street. Standing in the middle of the roadway, ahead of the heroes, are two women, twins, in fact identical. If it weren't for the fact that one of the wears an eyepatch over one eye, they'd be the spitting image of Jennifer and Jessica.

Lady Luck tries to break the machines than run the training room - she really doesn't want to face such a thing, especially if the safeties are off....

One of the Other Twins says: "I was wondering what was taking you so long." Her companion readies her whip and prepares to strike.

Sable says, "This simply can't be good"