Log:The Guild Strikes Back

2011/01/24 	 Clockwork Jade Rebound Phreak Bullet 1

In a burst of energy, Jon Masters has decided that if the Riftgate Project is to start regular operations again, and especially now the potential dangers of operating on alternate dimensions is more clearly known, harping on the encounter with Shield primarily, more of the city's metas should be made familiar with TransMat's operations. To this end he has arranged a get-to-know-you meeting, with drinks and food. But then he is called away on urgent business and Jade gets dropped into the role of host without any warning.

Invitations go out to many metas and local heroes.

Jade fusses about to get everything ready. She's not to happy about having this dumped on her, but at least she compensates with boundless energy. The Riftgate team are likely not so happy with Jade in 'efficient' mode, since keeping up is impossible.

Janet, the security chief for TransMat Research, confides in Jade quietly, "Did Jon give you any more notice than he gave me? It's not a bad idea but I haven't had a chance to run security checks on any of the invitees."

Jade says, "No it-was-all-ridiculousy-short-notice no-time-for-security-checks? that's-ridiculous-given-that-an-attempt-to-blow-up-the-gate-have-been-made-in-the-past with-a-nuke-no-less!"

Maxie isn't a celebrity or local hero, but a chance to learn more details of TransMat ops, and possibly see things in person, is a chance see can't pass up. If she wasn't to get an invite directly, it's nothing a little ingenuity can't fix. She's even dressed up for the occassion, in a pleated red/black plaid skirt, blue leggings, and pink top. Twin pigtails wobble as she heads straight for the complimentary coffee.

Amongst those who seem like they absolutely don't belong is one small child who despite wearing a small dress vest with pocket watch and dark blue long sleeved shirt and dark blue dress pants and dress shoes. His brown hair finely groomed, almost like a mockery of the large formal big wigs. However he arives with one of theTransmat researchers and is accurately explaining how some of the physics work in a way surprising for someone of his aparent age. As he asks about the ways it works he gets a 'correct' or 'bull's eye' never missing a thought about it. How-ever even in Clockwork's attempts to appear professional he is still an adorable looking tween.

Everyone loves a masquerade... right? Well, Mesmer is arriving in a mask regardless since that's how he rolls. It's also a bit hard to tell who invited him since he doesn't really have an commonly known address, but he arrives anyway, in his customary three button suit cut in an elegant timeless style.

Jade pulls her multiscanner from her bag and scans people as the come in (discreetly, she hopes). No sense taking chances.

Jade does a scan of the room too just in case. She's rather hoping the displays will say most of what needs to be said: she's not at all comfortable with presentations.

The PR flunky assigned to the meeting steps up in front of a microphone set at one end of the reception area. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to TransMat Research. Jon Masters regrets he is unable to attend himself but he has left you in the very capable hands of Jade Ashcroft, the head of the research division. Witout further ado I'll hand the microphone over to Ms. Ashcroft."

Mesmer isn't partaking of any of the food, the cost of wearing a mask in public but he is examining the diagrams and turns his attention to the mic when Jade is announced.

Clockwork hops up and down to see through the crowd of people he has some how managed to be engulfed in near the food table. He grumbles being unable to see past them.

Jade winces almost imperceptibly quickly before bouncing up to the microphone. She starts out slowly and carfully but soon gets faster in her nervousness. "Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome once again. I'm sure you-all-know-at-least-roughly-what-the-Riftgate-Project-is-or-you-wouldn't-be-here at-least-I-doubt-it's-for-the-coffee - the-world's-first-stable-and-reliable-interdimensional-portal."

Jade's speech is interrupted. A white coated assistant rushes up to her, and forgetting the microphone is switched on, can be heard by everyone as he informs her there is a on-going attempt to hack the Riftgate computer...

Clockwork perks a brow, he seems to vanish from his crowded area but in all actuality is pushing through and crawling past some people until he is out reappearing as if this will give him greater insight to the troubles unfurling. He's not great with computers but he is interested.

After grabbing her coffee and spicing it up with 8.37 teaspoons of sugar, Maxie heads to the nearest display. She can browse, listen to the presentation, sip her coffee, and walk, simultaneously. The start makes her pipe up, with a grin, "Hey, the coffee's pretty good, actually!" The unintentional announcement by the assistant makes her frown, though, and she barely quells the reflexive urge to say 'It's not me!'

Jade switches of the mic an instant before muttering some things best not broadcast, then thinks to turn it on again to say, "Excuse me a moment, ladies and gentlemen," before no less than running to to the computer. Given she's (quite unaccustomedly) worn a dress and heels today this is not as smooth an operation as it might be.

Mesmer glances around, after all, a site like this is most likely going to have to be on location hack and if you can make the hacker faint he can't really hack.

The assistant hurriedly tells Jade that, "Someone is trying to hack into the Riftgate computer, Jade. But it's worse than that. The alarm was raised by monitoring program and it's not one of ours. The hacking attempt is being blocked at the moment. It's powerful, a lot of processor power behind it, but relatively crude in execution. The monitoring program that flagged the attack though, well we've never seen anything like it. It's rewriting itself constantly, moving around in memory and patching itself into the base OS. I don't think we could get rid of it without a complete shutdown and clean re-install and that's assuming the backups aren't inflected. Until it announced itself by flagging the attack we didn't even know it was there."

Clockwork hmms, this is most interesting. A self re-writing program. The implications this would mean, the fact terminator might become real, he wants to punch a robot in the face suddenly. He shakes his head. Dang childish insticts acting up again.

Jade says, "We-might-have-to-do-that isolate-the-Rifgate-from-the-system-even-if-it-takes-a-shutdown the-greatest-risk-immediately-is-one-party-or-another-opening-a-rift-to-God-knows-where!"

When Jade logs into the computer, using naturally her login identity, the screen clears, flashes a cartoony Casper the friendly ghost image, and prints, "Trace in Progress. Estimated time to trace: 12 seconds. Estimated time for attack to succeed: Not in this lifetime."

Clockwork starts to look about. He wonders where the owner is and goes about finding him to check where he is to let him know.

Jade says, "Ghost. Well-that's-one-party."

Everyone hates a worm, especially the adaptively mutating kind. That, and Maxie isn't going to trust the white labcoat guy to know, or share, the whole picture. She turns and dashes for the reception desk, and one of the other terminals there. Even if she could outrace Jade while she's in heels, this isn't Maxie's place, so she won't physically get in the way. On the other hand, she doesn't need to waste time with the keyboard, either, other than touching it. That means, among other things, that she doesn't need to put down her caffeine while she focuses. Not even a chance to notice, or smirk at, Jade's display or comments.

On Jade's terminal another line of text appears "Probable attack hardware match: Empire Portable Battlefield Unit, confidence 86%"

Maxie is attempting to use Mind Scan on the network to locate the intruding device.

Jade says, "Damn looks-like-the-Guild-is-behind-this!"

Jade attempts to aid Ghost in fighting off the attack. Whether she can do so usefully in another matter.

The seconds tick by... and then a final line of text appears, "Trace complete: <GPS coords 012347-831734-000642"

Jade memorises the coordinates and estimates where it is before checking the map.

Jade says, "New-York. Any-heroes-who-want-to-come-give-a-hand-shutting-them-down-follow-me!"

Clockwork walks with or moves how ever fast he needs to to keep up with Jade. "New york? That is a fair ways, now isn't it?"

Jade nods, "That's-why-I-said-to-come-with-me this-is-a-major-threat-and-any-help-would-be-appreciated!" She heads to the door, making a call on her PDA as she goes. "This-is-Jade-Aschcroft-at-Transmat-Research. I-need-a-portal-as-soon-as-I-get-there-to-these-coordinates: ..."

Maxie whistles an appreciative catcall. "Damn. That's some sexy bit of code. Beat me, even. With a head start." She makes mental notes to poke around again later, about the artist. "I'll go. Do we have a ride?" Oh, that's right, there's in the middle of a multi-dimensional portal generator complex.

Jade says, "We-have-to-go-the-main-Transmat-building-up-the-road but-from-there-yes."

The TransMat Terminus manager assures Jade that a portal will be setup for those coordinates without delay.

Clockwork nods walking along unless they are moving faster in which case the child looking meta is seen flickering in and out of existance in a repettitive manner.

Jade says, "Oh-keep-this-under-your-hats-everyone it's-not-general-knowledge-that-portals-can-be-opened-without-a-receiver-and-we'd-like-to-keep-it-that-way-for-the-moment."

Jade thinks. o O (Darn, daren't stop to change shoes.)

Jade hurries toward the transmat terminal, waving her ID to ensure the heroes get through quickly.

The Terminus manager is waiting for Jade and the heroes when they arrive in the other building. He takes you all through to a back room where a staff TransMat portal is being setup with the given coordinates. The technician promises it will be ready in a few more seconds.

Clockwork nods. "I see. I will keep in under my hat." And with that he produces his signature kitty hat. Ah it feels good to have on his head again.

Maxie follows, moving somewhere between a jog and a skip. Her tails shake with her head at Jade. "You're going to break an ankle, if not just a heel." One reason why Maxie doesn't wear them.

Jade says, "It's-not-that-bad-with-my-reflexes-but-still."

Jade discards her shoes now she's back indoors. Hopefully far side of the the gate wil be indoor too.

Clockwork follows behind looking about and noting the room as he does so.

Jade explains to Alex on the phone on the way to the Transmat terminal, "Someone tried to hack Transmat Research's computers, apparently with Guild tech. We're off to New York to catch them in the act - if Rebound can make it to the Transmat terminal in two minutes he'd be useful!"

Rebound suits up and meets with the heroes when they get to Transmat. "Hey, guys. I'm Rebound. We'll do more formal introductions when there's time."

The portal opens to a basement in the building where the trace lead to. The basement is one large area. At one end of the basement are the building heating systems and services. About half the rest of the basement space is filled by the base of a smallish spacecraft. The floors for several stories have been removed in that location to make room for the 100ft plus height of the craft. The spacecraft airlock is open and a ramp leads up to the airlock from the basement floor. In the airlock, almost certainly standing sentry duty is a thick-built lizard like alien in heavy armor and carrying a hand-weapon.

Clockwork perks a brow. "friend of yours?" He asks Jade, not really sure how to take the lizard man's appearance.

Jade says, "No-friend-of-mine likely-a-grunt-of-whoever's-behind-the-attack!"

"What a cutie." Maxie smirks as she spots all the pretty lines of spacecraft marred by one ugly lizard. It was a brute force attack on the system, before, so she isn't all that surprised to find, well, a brute at the other end.

Seeing the situation ahead, Bullet opts to grab some attention here. She bursts into motion and runs right up to the base of the ramp, "Hey Scale-head!" she calls out as she stops, "You got a parking permit for this beast?!"

Jade runs toward the airlock and the alien - though not so fast she can't take evasive action if needed.

Maxie doubts the reptile is here as the friendly sort of greeter, so she takes precautions. First, her clothes and skin alter, granting her a silver metallica sheen. Given that it's easy enough to see that big and ugly is big and ugly, she is more interested in the hand-held weapon.

Maxie, now in Phreak identity, realises the following: The lizard alien looks like he comes from a high-G world and is likely very strong. But the armor is clearly a heavy weight for him and the only reason for armor as thin as it looks being that heavy is atomic compression. There's probably a very thin layer of collapsium or similar, so very very tough. The weapon is a plasma thrower, powerful but short ranged and possible to dodge the relatively slow moving projected plasma.'

Rebound bounds towards the ship, closing half the distance to the the lizard sentry. In mid-air, he stretches his arm towards the sentry, his hand growing to giant proportions. He tries to grab the lizard guy in the palm of his giant mitt.

Rebound strings his fingers around the lizard man and then cinched them tight, pinning the creature's arms tight to his sides, and covering his mouth as well.

The lizard alien struggles against Rebound's grip, trying to free his self sufficiently to call out a warning and ideally fire his weapon. Although he manages to escape it takes time, in which other heroes are ready to act.

Mesmer flys forward, landing at the end of the movement then focusing on the lizard he sends a mental blast at him.

The alien lizard shudders as Mesmer mind lashes him.

Jade moves in further, now the lizard has committed itself.

Clockwork moves through the portal wincing as he does so, He walks full distance this time. No need to use his powers yet, but still OUCH! Ever since his incident with the time machine being around portals hurts like hell! He needs to get a jet or something...

There's a passageway leading into the spacecraft to a closed door 12ft further in. The second door for the airlock."

Jade keeps closing.

"Um guys, there's some weird squigglies, like something right out of The Day the Earth Stood Still on these controls... I am guessing this guy ain't Klatu..." offers Bullet. "Might need some superbrainy sort t'look at it. I don't wanna just start pressing random stuff."

Phreak moves after getting a look at the lizard's gear, warning, "Watch out for plasma if he gets trigger-happy." She's still moving for the ramp for now, at a decent clip.

Rebound moves his hand from the lizard guy to the door frame of the outer airlock door. He snaps himself forward rapidly. He aims to sling himself into the airlock, while putting a boot into the lizard guys' jaw.

The alien is unmoved by Rebound's kick. Rebound's foot hit the high collar of the armor rather than flesh, and the armor simply didn't give at all under the impact. The alien took shock effect of course but the blow was obviously greatly reduced by the surprisingly effective armor.

Rebound blinks. o O ( That was my best shot and he just shook it off... )

Mesmer flys forward again, landing at the end of the movement then focusing on the lizard he sends a mental blast at him.

The alien lizard is briefly stunned by the power of Mesmer's mind lash.

Jade keeps moving in, more cautiously again, to halfway up the ramp.

This lizard looks very much like a race Jade has heard of, heavy-G, strong, natural methane breathers but can live in an oxygen atmosphere for several hours at a time.

Clockwork continues to walk towards the alien. He's a smalle child so what threat is he? Just walking towards the enemy even bothers to check the time on his pocket watch with gold chain. Sure the kitty hat kinda ruins it a bit but hey, it's a classy watch. The child looks at the lizard that's in front of him, being him the only one left on the entry side of the lizard. his metal hand twitches a bit but nothing much.

Seeing things going well, the brain got in the airlock.. Bullet notices the lizard's lack of responsiveness and gets an evil grin on her face. She vanishes in a blur of motion and heads down the ramp before skidding to a stop and turning to run back up the ramp. She ends up next to Phreak but along the way she lashes out with a fist at the jaw of the stunned lizard.

The lizard is stunned from the mind lash and fails to avoid the speeding Bullet. But neither does the alien look affected by the impact against him.

Phreak gets to the closed inner hatch. "So, hear you got a problem with-" and then she realizes that Bullet's left already. she'll get used to that, one day. Nevermind. The door she can deal with, putting her hand on the control panel with a little mental 'Open says me.'

And Bullet is back as well, "Got it yet?" she asks, right after Phreak assumes she's gone.

The inner door of the airlock opens under the 'gentle' persusion of Phreak's talent. The outer door closing as the inner opens for safety reasons, while the space between the airlock doors fills with the methane atmosphere of the spaceship. Unfortunately Phreak is a fraction slow in coping with this change and gets a lungful of the methane atmosphere.

Clockwork perks a brow. "She just went into an unfamiliar atmosphere... hmm... I don't think this bodes well." He states. "I'll get her out.

Jade closes with the lizardman and tries to sweep the legs out from under him with a blindingly fast foot!

The trip maneuver is executed perfectly by Jade but when her foot tries to sweep the alien's legs out it's like she hit a solid rooted boulder. The alien doesn't move.

Jade says, "Darn - the-heavyworlder-is-denser-than-he-looks - can't-budge-him!"

Rebound holds his breath and looks over at Phreak to see what she's up to. o O ( Ok. Important to remain calm... )

Clockwork blinks out of existence to most, but he is actually sliding himself through time. moving next to the bulkhead, he places a hand on the air. "Hold your breath everyone" He says taking a deep breath in real time as he attempts to age the metal of the door in such a rapid process that it seems to instantly turn to dust.

Jade says, "That's-collapsium-armour! Rattling-him-around-inside-it-will-have-more-luck-than=trying=to-dent-it. I-do-wonder-if-his-weapon-is-designed-to-be-able-to-affect-people-in such-armour-though."

Clockwork turns a fairly large human sized hole in the sucker and gas pours out, as our atmosphere and theirs combine. freeing those trapped inside from tehir potential suffocation.

Jade catches her breath before the escaping methane reaches her.

As soon as the hole is made, Bullet is in motion. She reaches out and grabs hold of Reach and Phreak and then starts moving. The funny part is she ducks her shoulder down and bends Clockwork over it before dashing out the hole and dragging folks with. It's fortunate that Reach is elastic because she -carries - Phreak through the hole and down the ramp and only then does Reach's elasticity come into play as finally his body catches up with the rubber banded arm and he snaps his way out through the hole even as Bullet is letting go of folks and starting to breathe again, "I say... we ventilate.... the whole ship..." she says between gasps.

Mesmer holds his breath as well, seeing Clockwork begin his tunneling magic.

A siren sounds from inside the spaceship as the airlock is breached. Bullet pulls out the heroes inside just in time, as less than a second later a forcefield forms around the ship snug against the skin, which stops the escape of methane. Then the ship turns invisible, some form of stealth technology. Right up close a shimmer can be seen but more distant parts of the spaceship are rendered invisible. With a profound WHOOOOHHH!!! the ship takes off, smashing through the upper levels of the building and sending a cascade of rubble crashing down around and on top of the heroes.

Clockwork smiles. "Ah I hope my kitty hat didn't scare them." He beams.

Mesmer teleports away from the debris raining down, then begins tapping into his wrist making an alert for the ship, noting the berth number and sending it off to the authorities.

Phreak's plan was good, except for overlooking the fact that Nitrogen-Oxygen atmospheres are not universal. Hydrocarbons do not do a body good, and she doesn't shut her mouth fast enough or keep it closed. Not an uncommon issue. As she works on diverting resources to make her own oxygen, and plans to cycle the airlock back, she's hit by a speeding Bullet and carried outside. Then she catches her breath. Until the building tries to fall on her, at least.

Jade dodges falling building parts, calculating as things collapse the best spot to jump to not to be crushed.

Rebound takes a deep breath. "That was embarrassing...." He stretches super thin to avoid falling debris.

Clockwork seems to vanish and re appear rapidly as he slows his time streem and returns to see what will fall next. "I hope they have insurance... cause this is -awesome!-"

Rebound calls over to Jade. "The Guild must have a great realtor -- this is prime real estate in New York City. Any chance you understand his language?"

Jade mutters once things have stopped falling on her. "That-was-appalling. They-got-away the-guard-won't-know-anything-useful. Still-no-proof..."

Jade says, "I-don't-speak-it. THere-might-be-some-reference-materials-on-it-but-I-woudn't-count-on-it."

Mesmer teleports back to the action when things get back to not collapsing on people and tapping on his wrist, "I could interrogate him none the less, I'm sure I can make myself... understood." The wrist emits.

Clockwork shrugs. "Hey at least we didn't have two girls and a rubberband die from strange atmospheres. I'm no biologist but something tells this PhD that they can't live long in there."

Jade says, "In what state is the guard now?"

Rebound says, "A secret base on Earth sounds like a lot of evidence to me, Jade. There will be a paper trail."

Phreak is forced to avoid falling building the old-fashioned way: duck when she can and hope it misses. "Why break a hole in a perfectly good spacecraft? I was just going to cycle the airlock again..." Once nothing is trying to crush her, she's simply annoyed.

Jade tries English. "I suggest you hand over your weapon. If you want us to take you somewhere within an atmosphere you can breathe."

Mesmer waits to see if Traditional methods play out, then he will do the mental interrogation.

Glancing up as pieces of the ceiling start falling, Bullet watches them as if they were moving in slow motion and starts weaving a pattern about'em to keep her safe before she simply -appears- over by Rebound. "So, what's the whole wrapup here?" she asks.

Clockwork says, "Oh yeah? What if the atmosphere had been chlorine based? Not exactly good for teh skin either there, Miss." The child just got snippity. "Or what if it was something heavier. any breath or open muoth would lead in it replacing itself with the 02 in your lungs.""

"And yeah, their -air- smells like my Dad just had four bean burritos..." mutters Bullet.

The alien lizard doesn't speak. He's keeping his mouth closed to retain methane in his 'lungs.' However it seems he may understand English as he blinks his eyes, two sets of eyelids, and hands the weapon over to Jade.

Mesmer telepathically sends to the lizard, 

Jade says, "Let's-take-him-to-Starguard. New-York-still-has-one, they-have-the-facilities-to-provide-the-atmosphere *and* they-don't-like-the-marshalls-much."

Jade says, "Careful-though we-know-the-New-York-marshalls-are-compromised in-fact-I-suggest-we-move-before-they-come-sniffing."

Rebound nods to Jade. "Sounds like a plan."

The lizard alien 'tells' Mesmer his name, which is completely unpronounceable by humans.

Jade meanwhile gets out her omniscanner and scans the wreckage for any interesting Guild tech or anything else that might have survived.

Mesmer nods his head, 

Clockwork nods. "If I recall your book correctly Ms. Ashcroft, we'd best do it in double time... if only we had some super fast lady in a golden costume to handle that task...

Mesmer taps his wrist, which emits, "One moment, while I talk with the prisoner."

Jade says, "Don't-take-too-long we-can-ask-more-at-Starguard."

Mesmer taps again, "Bullet, can you even lift his armor?"

The alien seems willing to answer Mesmer's questions, but it's rapidly clear the alien is limited in understanding and intelligence. He was basically just doing whatever his master instructed, and had no real idea why he was supposed to do it.

Mesmer taps his wrist, "Well, it appears he has been lobotomised in some sense, or made into a grunt by whatever caste system they have, lets get him to starguard. He doesn't know anything pertinent."

Rebound looks around. "Is anyone here good with book keeping?"

Jade says, "As-I-suspected. Possibly-genetically-manipulated there's-precedent-you-know. One-reason-why-we-don't-want-the-Guild-running-things-here."

Jade says, "Why bookkeepping?"

Mesmer shakes his head, tapping into his wrist which emits, "No, this is post birth, the subconscious is fully developed."

Rebound says, "Someone's name has to be on the lease. With any luck, it might lead us to other buildings they might own."

Clockwork perks a brow. "I can keep things straight." the little one steps forward. "But that if you mean facts in a logical and linear progression so people from 3rd grade and up can understand...

Mesmer sends to the lizard,  He then turns and taps, "Well, lets get this one to starguard."

Jade nods. Already getting twitchy after the wasted seconds.

Clockwork says, "Tell him to take his armor off so speedy pants can get them there." Ah cute kids and nicknames. "By the way I have little to no clue who most of you are, just letting you know."

Rebound grins and looks over at Jade. o O ( Not bad for your first crisis at Transmat Research.)

The alien is taken to Starguard, who are very helpful and willing to keep this quiet if you wish. The destruction of the building is quickly accredited to a gas leak and explosion by the owners in a press release, a lobbying group registered at the UE Council."

And of course, Bullet will do as suggested and play taxicab, delivery girl, or whatever. Superspeed delivery time! Dropoff, return, grab, deliver! Whoosh. When it's all done she heads for the portal. No reason to wear herself out running across the country when she can -poof- to home before curfew!