Seneth talks to the Earth Spirit:
“Action #1. Help those children keep that door closed.”
Goethe will continue to stealthily make his way toward the rest of the group, assuming the situation hasn’t become dire yet.
Nail braces the door with all his might, and for a second it looks like it will hold. Then comes Garn’s low, guttural, growl, and a crashing bang that jolts the door a few inches in one push. “Great, they have a cave troll,” Nail deadpans, his sarcasm coming through despite his winded breath.
It is at this time that Donovan enquires into whether Nail feels like dying, to which Nail responds urgently: “I’m all for running to live and fight another day, but Goethe is on his way. We leave now and he’s stranded!”
Nail continues pushing with all his might, while the door continues to move inexorably inward. “On second thought, we’re no good to him dead either. If Cobra Kahn over here can’t brace this damn door a little longer, we have no choice but to blow this popsicle stand.”
When he has a chance, he will address Seneth: “Hey Seneth, got any other aces up your sleeve? If so, now’s the time.”
“I have many more options, but I am doing nothing now until I see if these men break in. If they break in here, I need my strength to fight along side this earth spirit. If that happens, you will see more ‘aces’ that I keep up my sleeve, as you children say.”
Donovan thinks for a moment, and suddenly abandons the door. He sprints toward an access panel on the machinery in the room, which opens wide enough for him to crawl through.
“I want to live long enough to catch that son of a bitch Johnson,” Donovan says. “We’re no good to the team if we’re dead. Come with me. This ductwork can bring us close to the elevator. Robot-man’s commandos are on the way, and there’s no way these chumps’ll find the chip before the commandos get here. Goethe can meet up with us at the elevator. Seneth’s earth spirit will buy us time to escape.”
The snake-like spirit takes Nail’s place bracing the door. It’s about as strong as Nail is, and maybe even slightly stronger. It won’t be able to hold the door against the troll by itself, but Nail gets the impression the spirit is tough enough to last long enough in battle to cover their escape.
Nail and Seneth may choose to stay in the room and prepare for imminent combat, or follow Donovan. Either way, the troll will certainly bust through the door soon! Goethe will arrive from behind the Synthcorp group next round, and will be able to fight in the round after. Alternatively, Goethe can change his route to meet up at the elevator.
Meanwhile, Chaggo’s group has still failed to capture to surveillance office. From this room, Chaggo would be able to override security features on doors and elevators, monitor Johnson’s location, and direct the assault team more efficiently with the knowledge of all Synthcorp agents’ location. If the ork can capture the room soon, it will make the rest of the crew’s jobs a lot easier!
“These Natives are tough, but we can’t punch through,” Chaggo says via comlink. “We’re locked down in the main hallway on the fourth floor. A little extra firepower could be all we need, if some of you kids could make it up here.”
Meanwhile, the commando leader has agreed to split his crew up. Four men stay behind in the labs salvaging Synthcorp tech, six head to the security mainframe (including the commando leader), and two are with the cyborg 4509, heading to the executive offices helipad.
When 4509 and his small crew reach the elevator to take them to the executive offices level, the elevator doors close behind them, but none of the buttons work.
“They know we’re here,” one of the two says. He activates a cyberdeck and prepares to enter simsense VR*. “We’ll have to hack through the Synthcorp firewall to activate the elevator. Meanwhile, they can keep us locked in here, or move the elevator anywhere they want.”
“Fix it,” the cyborg says, almost threateningly.
The man doesn’t respond directly, but says “cover me,” as he immerses in simsense. He can no longer see or hear the group as he navigates through the Matrix.
Ominously, the elevator begins to move up. There’s no way the UO agent had enough time to be the one responsible for the elevator’s motion. The remaining UO agent glances nervously at 4509, and says “When these doors open, there will surely be Synthcorp agents on the other side. I can either help you fight them, or I can help him.” The man gestures to the other UO agent immersed in simsense. “It’s up to you, but I can’t do both.”
*Simsense VR is a mode in which hackers in the New World can navigate the digital reality of the Matrix. In simsense, the real world is almost completely reduced to “background noise” while all of the user’s senses are filled with data from the Matrix. Simsense is not complete “hot sim” immersion however, and simsense users are still protected from neurological damage from Matrix attacks. In exchange, they’re a bit slower and less precise in the Matrix than the crazy hot sim hackers are. A hot sim hacker will plug himself directly into the grid, and exist entirely within the Matrix while hot sim is engaged. Matrix attacks could do permanent physical damage to a hot sim hacker, but for someone not gifted with the power of Technomancy, hot-sim is the most immersive way to navigate the digital world.
It doesn’t take Nail long to grumble back, “Fine. Didn’t like this party much anyway.”
Nail passes Seneth on the way to the ventilation shaft… “C’mon let’s go. Save those aces for a better hand.”
While following Donovan into the duct-work, Nail messages Goethe by comm. “Hey, we got some unwanted guests and had to bounce early. Reconvene at the elevator. Copy.”
4509 crouches for a moment to stow away his shotgun in one of his bags. When he rises, he’s standing between the two agents and the doorway. “Take control of the elevator.” He lifts both arms, his right’s transparent casing now emitting a luminescent green. Hidden compartments on both arms slide open as pair of highly-customized Ares Crusader machine pistols are sent spinning from within his forearms to his open hands. The weapons themselves are made from the same transparent steel as his right arm, each brimming with interior computers. He readies both firearms at the doors, shielding the immersed agents with his body.
“Earth spirit, continue to barricade the door, but if they break through, please return to me! I have two more orders for you then!”
Seneth flees with the others.
Goethe replies to Nail via comlink. “Understood. Hey, Walken, since you seem to be running command for this operation, how about plotting a route for me?”
“Acknowledged,” Walken replies. In a few moments, schematics of the floor appear on the heads-up display interface on his glasses. A route to the elevator is highlighted. “We have hackers attempting to override an elevator lockout on another floor,” Walken continues. “4509 is on his way to the Executive offices in hopes of intercepting Johnson. I suggest you meet him there.”
Meanwhile, Nail and Seneth follow Donovan into the venting system. The men must crouch in a passage much too small for a troll to fit through.
Behind them, the door is torn off its heavy metal hinges as the troll Adept bursts into the room.
“Kill anything that moves in there!” comes a shouted command from a human in the hallway.
“With glee!” the troll says as he advances on the earth spirit. Seneth risks a quick backward glance as the group makes their escape. What he sees is terrifying. The troll is a monstrous version of the most bestial race of metahumanity. The beast has two six-inch tusks growing curved in a downward angle like impossibly large fangs. Its clothing is stretched taut over its enormous frame, and it’s holding what appears to be a bone handled thrusting spike.
The earth spirit shrugs the ruined and collapsed door off its body. Seeing the troll advancing, the spirit hisses at him, “My first task is complete,” before fading into the nether. The troll jabs the wicked spike through the snake’s body, but a moment too late. The spirit has vanished.
Meanwhile, 4509 is heading up in the elevator. Both UO commandos with him are emerged in simsense attempting to hack the elevator. Suddenly, one of the men screams in agony. He rips the equipment off his head and scoots far away as possible from it.
“He was too strong!” the man shouts. “They have a technomancer protecting the system, stronger than we can hope to defeat.”
The other man calmly removes his own simsense equipment. “You attacked recklessly. He didn’t want to fight,” he says. “I think he’s an ally.” The unhurt man looks at 4509, with his weapons ready. “The door will open soon, and I suggest you don’t shoot whatever’s on the other side. Synthcorp isn’t controlling this elevator. Someone else is.”
Abruptly, the elevator stops. As the doors open, 4509 readies his machine pistols. The elevator opens into a hallway, where a backpack-sized drone is hovering in plain view, non-threateningly. The drone has a single thin appendage, which it uses to gesture in a manner similar to a military salute. 4509 recognizes extremely advanced technology and AI programing powering this drone.
Through his comlink, 4509 can hear a robotic text-to-speech program narrating to him. “This unit is here to assist your attack. How may I be of service?”
Another voice comes over 4509’s comlink. It’s Walken, who has apparently been monitoring 4509 using an uplink from the cyborg’s artificial eyes and comlink microphone.
“Careful, asset.” Walken says. “That’s not one of ours.”
4509 takes a half-step forward, over the line of the doors so that he can get out in case his “ally” decides to send the elevator off without warning. He quickly sweeps the area with his ultrasound emitter and checks the drone for hidden weapons with his scanner. He keeps his firearms trained on the bot, not as quick to trust a stranger in the middle of a raid as the UO soldier seems to be. “Johnson’s location.”
Assuming Seneth heard the collapse of the door and the chaos behind them, he cries out:
“Earth Spirit, you owe me two more tasks. You must appear with me so I may give them to you! Obey me!”
“Well, if they didn’t know where we went before, they sure do now,” grumbles Nail.
“Unknown,” the drone replies to 4509. “This unit’s Operator is unable to determine such. She is currently a captive of Synthcorp, which limits her ability to search for him.”
4509’s scan finds no evidence of people or other drones close by. As the scan attempts to penetrate the drone before him, his sensors are interrupted by interference. The drone unit is equipped with electronic countermeasures which effectively prevent attempts to scan it. Consequently, the drone would also be impervious to all but the strongest hacking attempts.
The drone continues as if unaware of the cyborg’s attempt to scan it, although it certainly would have been. “This unit’s Operator is in the presence of an Elf Synthcorp executive named Larre Sasheille. This unit suggests Sasheille may know Johnson’s location. The Operator has already prevented Johnson’s escape via helicopter, by causing a mechanical malfunction. Sasheille and the Operator are on floor 14. Sasheille is organizing Synthcorp security personnel to defend the surveillance offices.”
Meanwhile, Nail, Seneth, and Donovan are escaping through a ventilation system. The spirit Seneth summoned earlier communicates with him telepathically.
“You will get your services, mage. I am bound for two more. When you call, I will answer according to our contract.”
Seneth may call the earth spirit using a free action at any time. The spirit is bound to him until sunset, or until two more services are provided.
The Synthcorp agents in the Security mainframe will attempt to find the chip Nail hid in the room. They will get to roll an investigation test every minute until the item is found, or they are interrupted. Fortunately, 4509 has sent a strong squad of commandos to recapture the room, which will at the very least distract the Synthcorp agents inside. Until the chip is found, Synthcorp seems uninterested in pursuing the fleeing crew through the claustrophobic ventilation system.
Soon Goethe, Seneth, and Nail arrive almost simultaneously at the elevator on this floor.
Goethe seems particularly pleased to meet up with Nail.
“Thought these might come in handy,” Goethe says, and tosses Nail two ammunition clips. Nail promptly loads his weapon.
Walken comes over the group’s comlink, addressing all of them at once.
“The asset 4509 has encountered a drone who claims to be an ally on the 8th floor. Please rendezvous with him to determine whether you recognize it.”
“Then you’re not worth anything to me.” 4509 doubts that any technomancer who’s managed to take control of the system’s elevators and remotely shut down a helicopter couldn’t easily supply him with Johnson’s position. He considers destroying the drone, each eye viewing the construct at differing levels of magnification. His thoughts turn like clockwork behind emotionless eyes before he speaks into his comm, broadcasting to everyone: “Johnson’s rooftop exit’s been taken care of. Someone’s in their system and she isn’t going to forward me his location until she’s been jailbroken. I’m heading to 14.”
He steps back into the elevator. To the drone, before closing the doors: “If you can hear me through that thing, I suggest you get your head down. Rescues aren’t my specialty.”
Wordlessly, Nail accepts the ammo and loads his gun.
Upon hearing Walken’s transmission: “We have allies?” Nail replies incredulously, before narrowing his eyes and giving Goethe a knowing gaze: “Think it could be…?”
“The odds are good. I wouldn’t expect there’d be too many female drone operators that would be prisoners of Synthcorp at this point, and she never did respond to any of the pings I sent out, unlike our host at the time, who seems to be free but driven mostly underground for now based on a note he left me at my place.”
Over the commlink:
“Walken, we copy and are en route to drone. Make sure 4509 doesn’t engage. Because if that drone’s being piloted by who we think it is, 4509 is going to be in a world of hurt even if he manages to defeat it, and we really don’t want to be pissing off any potential allies, especially that one. Tell 4509 to call the drone Darwin and see what it’s reaction is. Chances are if the operator is who we think it is, she’s already aware of all of us anyway, and is probably hacking our comms as we speak.”
“Nail, you take rear guard, I’ll take front. Be ready for anything; these guys have visual profiles on all of us.”
Goethe will start moving towards the drone’s location taking lead, his assault rifle at the ready.
The group may speak freely to each other via comlink (except Seneth) without the need for an intermediary. Unless Goethe clarifies that he specifically doesn’t want 4509 to hear him, 4509 may respond to Goethe’s transmission as if it were directed toward him.
Also, unless aclockworkmelon clarifies otherwise, I believe his character has already left the drone behind and is headed to the 14th floor to confront Sasheille. The rest of you may meet up with the drone on the 11th floor, or rendezvous with 4509 on the 14th.
I’ll give a few more hours for any extra communication the group wants to do during this relatively calm moment, and have an update for the game no later than tomorrow morning. It will be another big one, so bear with me while I compose it please!
Asset 4509 has left the advanced drone in the elevator lobby of the 11th floor, and returned to the elevator with two accompanying Universal Omnitech commandos.
4509 pushes the button for the 14th floor, half-expecting the technomancer to lock the elevator down in protest for leaving her drone behind, but the elevator car grudgingly begins to move up. The two commandos ready their assault rifles as the elevator door opens, but nobody is there to greet them in the lobby.
“Our attack must have them reeling,” one of the commandos says. “Their forces are split between defending the surveillance office, protecting the executives, and searching for the virus uploading chip in the security room. We won’t have much time before they regroup and start hunting us down, though. I hope this technomancer’s worth the trouble we’re taking.”
Another voice comes over the comlink. Nail, Goethe, and 4509 all hear the commando veteran’s voice as he announces, “We’re approaching the security mainframe now. Looks like they’re searching the room. We’ll keep them distracted for awhile, but there’s too many of them for us to recapture the mainframe. We’re just buying time, here. Whatever you’re up to, make it quick!”
4509 hears a transmission via comlink from the drone he left on the 11th floor. “Floor 14 is Synthcorp’s training rooms and barracks. Security personnel are trained and housed there, and it is heavily defended by automated systems and professional agents. This unit suggests allowing your comrades time to arrive and assist you.”
Ahead of 4509 is a T-intersection of hallways. He can’t yet see around either corner to his left or right, and none of his passive scanners are picking up useful information.
Meanwhile, Goethe attempts to access the elevator to bring it to the 11th floor, but the elevator call button does not respond. Apparently, Synthcorp has locked all the elevators, and unlocking one will require a hacking job none of the characters are equipped to attempt.
Walken comes over the radio again, speaking only to Goethe and Nail. “There is a stairway at the end of the corridor. Take it quickly! I believe 4509 will attempt something rash soon.” Goethe’s high-tech glasses receive data transmitted by Walken, and display a route to the emergency stairway close by.
As Goethe leads the group to the stairwell, Chaggo’s voice comes over the comlink. “Afraid to say it, kids, but this might be a lost cause. We’ve got the wrath of Hades comin’ down here. No way into the surveillance office, unless the cavalry’s coming soon. I hope you jokers’ve got something up your sleeve, 'cuz my crew’s just about out of steam.”
Goethe, Nail, and Seneth will arrive on the 11th floor via the emergency stairway in the next update. Meanwhile, they can talk among themselves or with 4509, or Chaggo.
As the cyborg steps off the elevator he wordlessly directs the two commandos to positions at the corners of the intersection. He interrupts the drone as it begins to speak: “Guide me to your operator.”
“We won’t need the cavalry if the owner of that drone is who we think it is and we are able to free her to truly move within the Synthcorp network. 4509, if you don’t want to wait for us, make damn sure you don’t hit her; it’s quite possible that she’s going to be the key to us pulling this off.”
Goethe will continue moving toward the rendez-vous point with the drone.