Chapter Six: All Hands on Deck

[Purr]

Kaerri Cera stared at the offered pistol and, as if it were something quite natural to her, she looked to her superior, Elinor, for her preference.

 

[Purr]

( Captain Hesperus Sherwood Kaerri Psychie Tag!)

(Heya Gang! I'm making a Game Master call here - in keeping with what's going on in our "Double or Nothing" Prologue, I'm going to hit the Fast Forward button here in a way that doesn't cost you, my PCs, anything based on what you've typed in your posts. Here we go. As with my Sharseya campaign, I'm also going to try to get back into writing in first-person.)

The Wild Cards accept their weapons and step through the Green Door and into the unknown.* Each of you experiences an odd feeling of light-headedness as your world becomes entirely light-green and then, you are through, beyond the realm of Cyclones and mecha.

Spoiler: Weapons*

There are 3 flamethrowers with plenty of fuel to pass around. Let me know who wants one. Cera appears to be armed with only a knife. Unfortunately, the pistols Elinor is carrying are Mega-damage as they fire S.D.C. or Mega-damage rounds.

Sure enough, there is a large door here, 20 feet high by 20 feet wide. It opens quickly as you enter. However, simultaneously, another door made of thick, reinforced S.D.C. materials comes swiftly sliding down behind you, between you and the Green Door! You appear to be trapped! Trying to melt this door down with the flamethrowers will likely take several minutes of pure, bright burning.

The door before you, now wide open and almost welcoming, delivers you to an incredible sight.

Spoiler: The Reactor Room of Outpost #5

(Image credit: Pinterest)

This room is about 100 feet wide by 100 feet long by 60 feet in height. A large number and variety of sealed military-style metal crates line the walls by the dozens followed by serial numbers and small words you believe are written in Spanish. There is a great humming from the energy reactor that dominates the rear of the room. A short walk from your entrance is a trio of computers, one of which that appears familiar to you - there was one just like it on the way in here back in the hangar with the Esper. From it, you can hear a strange cacophony of odd sounds from one of its speakers. It sounds like someone turned on about 20 radio sets to random channels and they are all playing at the same time. Across the room, about 60 feet away, is a weapons rack in the wall holding what appear to be six automatic rifles of hardy make.

Then you realize you are being watched! From above!

"By the Black Binary!" Cera mentally swears. "What are those?"

Several of these crawl along the ceiling, skulking slowly like hunting animals and magnetically-attached the way Trouble's paws are. You count at least four of them. They are roughly human-sized, but they certainly don't move like humans, but human-spiders. They pause and stare at you eerily, their single eyes unblinking and unsettling. The closest one is 40 feet away on a wall. You can see its eye focusing on you. These too appear to be made of S.D.C. materials, but then again, you recall even full-size Zentraedi are not Mega-damage beings, but are S.D.C.-based creatures like you. Punching or kicking something like these will likely damage them, but it won't be comfortable for you to fight it with martial arts either.

Spoiler: These.

(Image credit: Coursefield)

However, the wall-crawling watchers are not alone. Standing tall in the center of the room, you notice a lone S.D.C. machine, thick-limbed, and combat-ready with integral weapons. It is some 8 feet in height with wide shoulders and heavy-looking. Frankly, it looks like a walking tank. It stands like some monolithic guardian of some futuristic age, and yet it is here, between you and the energy reactor. It is still.

If it is active, it is showing no sign. Perhaps it thinks it does not need to - its mighty presence alone is certainly enough to give even a crazy team of young Traversers reason to pause!

Spoiler: The Guardian.

(Image credit: Pinterest)

What do the Wild Cards do? (Note: Please decide in Fat Gandalf's who gets which weapons among you.)

(Image credit: Coursefield)

STATUS

Location: Inside the Reactor Room at Chessel Corporation Outpost #5
Exciting Mood Music (click to play): Intergalactic by Boom Boom Satellites

 

[Sherwood]

Mario shakes his head. "I don't know, but they are probably not too friendly."

 

[Kaerri]

At the arrival of the Sam(antha)s with flamethrowers
Elinor laughed and admired the crew's handiwork. "You guys are amazing! These look great." She accepted one just to inspect it, distinctly pleased at their resourcefulness.

Before crossing the barrier
Elinor nodded at Cera and offered her the flamethrower she held. "Why don't you take one of the these, and I'll borrow Mario's pistol," she said, regretfully leaving her own pump-pistol with her Cyclone. Though it could fire SDC rounds just fine, it was also capable of firing MDC, and was reinforced accordingly. The flamethrower looked like fun, but she wasn't especially trained in it. Well, she didn't think Cera was either, but she rather thought the Meltrandi would enjoy it all the same, and it wasn't that complicated to use.

After crossing the barrier
Elinor's eyes flicked watchfully from one spider-thing to the other. The giant in the middle was at least not moving yet, for whatever reason. She studied it, then turned her attention back to the spider-things, studying one of them as well and locking visible details into her mind. She also noted the rifles across the room. If things went south, the team might be able to make use of those.

"Hitomi, if you're still with us, it looks like a reactor room of some kind. There's these robotic things crawling 'round the walls and ceilings, maybe four of them, seem to be using magnets to walk like spiders. There's also a big upright robot between us and the reactor, pretty armored up and with integrated weapons. Both types would've passed through the barrier, but still look pretty tough. Sound like anything you've seen before?"

 

[Purr]

At the arrival of the Sam(antha)s with flamethrowers
Elinor laughed and admired the crew's handiwork. "You guys are amazing! These look great." She accepted one just to inspect it, distinctly pleased at their resourcefulness

The Sams and Samanthas bowed deeply at her praise. If faceless machines could be pleased, Elinor had accomplished it.

* * *​

With oedience, Cera took the flamethrower with both hands and settled it against her body as naturally as a warrior might. While she perused the weapon like someone who lacked proficiency, she seemed to take in every detail, attempting to learn its operation in short order.

"Test firing." Pointing the weapon safely away from the Wild and mindful of where her flame would go, she depressed trigger only to get no result. Again, she perused the dangerous weapon to find out where she was going wrong.

* * *​

The spider-things changed their position to places where they could get a better view of you while still remaining close to cover.

Hitomi replied proving she was still on channel with you. "I've got a Transceiver in each ear with a medical on the other line, but yeah I'm with you."

Hitomi asked a few more precise questions about the larger robot, questions Elinor was able to answer easily. Elinor could almost see Hitomi nodding on the other end of the channel. Then Hitomi's School for Winning opened its doors to you.

"Yeah, I've tangled with those a few times. Listen guys. AUL Wall-Crawlers are fast, competent in hand-to-hand, but lack ranged weapons.

"Their specialty is a body shock - if a Wall-Crawler gets ahold of you, they can deliver a taser-like shock from any of its four limbs that can either stun you or knock you out while the rest of them tear you to pieces. Shoot them or stay in striking distance... and don't get grabbed. If you do get grabbed, get out of it as quickly as possible. Never grapple with them.

"The big fella is an AUL Marauder. He's got twin lasers for hands that can shoot bursts, use as short-range laser swords, or use as cutting tools. It cannot be disarmed short of taking it apart.

"However, his big surprise is in his shoulders. See those holes? Think of them as reusable flash-bangs. Marauders will drop into a stance like an American football linebacker. Both shoulders flashbang and then it hits you with a flying tackle. It's like being run over by a Smart Car. If it hits you with that, it'll get on top of you, begin bashing, and then you're in real trouble. Slip out from under it on its sides but never between its legs or it'll grab you with them, possibly pinning your arms.

"Marauders, however, have a weak point. See those strange feet with no toes and his big upper body? They're top-heavy. You can throw him.

"Because of a little-known fluke in the Marauder's melee programming, it lacks throwing and ground-fighting skills. When you repeatedly throw it, it will very probably keep trying to get back on his feet, giving you time to beat the hell out of it. Keep throwing and beating on it until its down.

"How's that for you, Wild Cards?"

 

[Captain Hesperus]

"However you want to play this, ma'am, I'm amenable. But if it comes to tussling, the big one's mine.", Hercules made his intent known, even as he began tensing and relaxing his shoulders, biceps and triceps, loosening up his muscles ready to start teaching the giant mech the basics of Pancration, "Maybe try a soft approach unless they get hostile?"

 

[Sherwood]

Mario nods in the direction of the various rifles currently set on the far wall. "If we can get to those weapons, we might be able to use them against the robots. Don't forget, these are Chessel Corp robots, and their programming is most likely set to attack intruders. I would be very surprised if we were able to do anything to the reactor here without them trying to jump us." He looks over at Lt. Hall for permission to make his way over to the weapon rack, then back to try and ID the weaponry. What might they have to work with over there?

 

[Kaerri]

"You're the best, Hitomi! Hope everyone was taking notes 'cause I figure we're gonna need 'em." Elinor grinned at Hercules. "You mean when they get hostile. I'm hoping we can use yonder reactor to make a great big boom in Mack's name before we leave, and it's a sure bet not one of these robots is gonna sit back and watch when we try to mess with it." She inspected the room again, following Mario's gaze. "Toph, Mario, the pair of you mosey on over to the weapon rack and see how far you get before somebody tries to stop you. If we get attacked, Hercules'll keep the big one occupied while Cera, Mario, and I start focus fire on the crawlers, starting with the one nearest Toph and Mario at the time combat starts. Toph, grab a rifle soon 's you can if they look loaded -- you don't want to be in knife range with those crawlers."

 

[Sherwood]

Mario hefts his flamethrower and nods. "Copy that, LT. Moving." Keeping close watch on the spider bots, he moves slowly in the direction of the weapon rack, making sure that Toph is close by so he can provide her with cover fire while she checks on the weapons.

 

[Psychie]

Toph nods. "Understood. Lets see what happens if we poke the beehive." She pulls out her knife, hoping that it won't be needed, but not that optimistic on that. With a glance over at Mario to see that he's on her six, she heads on her way over towards the wall of weapons, keeping a far distance away from the big robot in the middle of the room.

 

[Purr]

Psychie Sherwood

Crossing the room for Toph and Mario is probably an eerie feeling as they experience the sensation of many unfeeling, all-logical mechanical eyes... all watching them. Step by step, they get closer to the weapon rack while the reactor hums deeply and slight clicking sounds can be heard from the ceiling and walls as both Traversers notice another pair of Wall-crawlers join the other 4 from holes near the reactor. They peer at you oddly as if you are the most-interesting thing they have ever seen (and perhaps you are!). However, they are both in spots where the other Wild Cards do not have line-of-sight on them (meaning your team is unaware of their presence).

Upon nearing the weapons locker, Toph and Mario discover some good news and bad news. The good news is all six rifles are M-55 Wolverines. Sturdy, reliable, and packing a heck of a lot of 5.56mm ammunition into each magazine, Wolverine rifles have been depended on since the days of the Robotech Defense Force. These models do not have grenade launchers. They do, however, have medium-range scopes (adding +1 to Strike when used) and said magazines firmly attached to their frames implying they are loaded and ready to go.

Spoiler: They look like this except the magazines are a bit longer.

From Technopolis
M-55 Wolverine Assault Rifle

(Image credit: Robotech Wiki - Fandom)

M-55 Wolverine Assault Rifle
The Wolverine is a select fire assault rifle issued as the main infantry weapon to Marine platoons. The weapon fires either 5.56mm caseless ammunition or 5.56mm HEAP rounds. It also has an optional under-barrel 25mm grenade launcher.
Weight: 10lbs
Range: Rifle 2,000ft, Grenade Launcher 1,200 feet
S.D.C. Damage: 4d6 S.D.C. for a single rifle round, 1d4x10 S.D.C. for a three round burst
Mega-Damage: 2d4 M.D. for a single HEAP round or 4d4 M.D. for a three round burst of HEAP rounds
25mm Grenades do 4d6 M.D. to a 10 foot area
Payload: 96 round box magazine capable of 32 bursts of S.D.C. or HEAP rounds. The grenade launcher attachment carries 4 grenades. It takes 1 melee round to reload all four grenades.

Well... perhaps ready is the wrong word. How about almost ready?

Toph's innate knack for perceptiveness and Mario's experience around weapon lockers "go off" at about the same time when both Wild Cards discover small, circular attachments from the wall enclosing each Wolverine rifle around the handle. These are modular gun locks. Each of the rifles are firmly locked and set into the weapons rack. They cannot be removed while the locks are in place and you don't see a set of keys lying around anywhere.

The Marauder in the center of the room remains motionless.

What do the Wild Cards do?

 

[Sherwood]

Mario sends out the thought through the Nexus, "There are six M-55 Wolverine assault rifles over here, and all six look like they are locked and loaded. Problem is, they are all locked in place on the wall with modular gun locks. I see no keys, and I doubt that the survival knives we have are going to be good enough to cut them out. If we are to get access to the rifles, I think that the only real option here is to try Traversing the locks or make do without. I am willing to give it a try in order to unlock these, but I won't go into the Blue World without the go-ahead."

 

[Psychie]

Toph sends out, "If we do try to Traverse the locks, it will leave the Traverser vulnerable to attack, so whomever it is that goes in will need someone to back them up on the outside, and I also think that no one person should try to unlock the weapons, and a wingman should go in, too."

 

[Purr]

The Wild Cards hear Hitomi's naturally-beautiful voice over the polyphonic nexus. However, she sounds anything but focused on her beauty. Her voice sounds a little distant and busy, as if she is not speaking directly into the technopathic transceiver she is using to communicate with you on the nexus. "--Can do now is get him to me ASAP. If he comes conscious, do whatever you have to try to keep him that way. Loud sounds, attention-getting news, tell him it's important he stays awake. Well... you've described symptoms of a recent concussion on top of-- Yes. Then it's up to you. I'm on my way to the hangar now. Mmhmm. Sharp and Piper are aware. I've got the Wild Cards on my other line. What about his VIP? O.K.. I understand. Thank you. Just get him here fast, professor."

Her voice returns to the volume level you are used to hearing her at. "Wild Cards? I've heard everything. If you go for those rifles and fail, even once, you chance triggering the Wall-crawlers and Marauders. They'll attack as one unit. Their protocols are probably set to defend that reactor and prevent theft of those weapons and all of those nice crates on the shelves around you, so be ready. Listen. You're in a hard-to-reach place. Before any shooting starts, is there any chance you guys can snag some data for me? Preferably in the form of hard drives? A place like that has to have computer access somewhere. If they see you as hostile, any data there is as good as gone."

 

[Purr]

(Forgot to tag Captain Hesperus !)

 

[Kaerri]

Elinor has taken a couple steps towards Mario and Toph, and is about to start assignments for who would go into the Blue World and who would guard in this one, when Hitomi's request brings her up short. "Huh. Good point. Hold that thought, Wild Cards. New plan. Let's get Hitomi her data first, if we can. If that sets things off, we'll use the same combat plan as before, but Toph, stay on the big one with Hercules while Mario, Cera, and I take on the rest. If it doesn't set things off, we'll talk about securing the rifles then." She gestures to Cera and changes her own trajectory to head to the trio of computers. "Cera 'n I will see about getting the intel while the rest of you watch our backs, OK?"

 

[Sherwood]

Mario nods. "You got it, LT. Standing by, and will cover you guys."

 

[Psychie]

Toph also nods. "You got it. Support Hercules against the big guy if things go nasty. Lets do this."

 

[Purr]

( Captain Hesperus Tag!)

With every step you take, the eyes of the Wall-crawlers stare unblinking at your every move. They move from time to time, never staying very long on one spot. Unlike people, the Wall-crawlers sometimes move laterally like spiders. Just a few feet this way or that, yet every move of theirs seems to improve their angle, their position. It is as if they are playing some strange game of chess... and in it... they are slowly boxing you in.

A short walk from your entrance is a trio of computers, one of which that appears familiar to you - there was one just like it on the way in here back in the hangar with the Esper. From it, you can hear a strange cacophony of odd sounds from one of its speakers. It sounds like someone turned on about 20 radio sets to random channels and they are all playing at the same time.

There is a single workstation with a single, comfortable leather chair. Mounted on the station are three large, dark monitors and three sets of wireless keyboards with vertical mice along with some writing in Spanish a little too complicated to understand from the only bridge most of you have - your knowledge of the English language. When Elinor and Cera approach (walking, I might add, with a true coolness only characters with high M.E. possess. =) ), the monitors and keyboards activate. Glittering colors dance about the monitors as the whirring sounds of fans in their desktop cases whirl to life. The computers have awakened.

From the center of a trio of speakers, the odd cacophony of sound you have been hearing since you entered the room continues. The moment the operating system finishes loading, all of you hear a strange greeting of a man's slurred voice in a Hispanic accent that doesn't sound quite right in the head. "Eyyy, amigooo! Howzit hangiiin'?"

Cera pauses and gives Elinor a strange look as if she does not know what to make of it. A moment passes, and then you come to realize that it's probably not a person, but an audio file that launches when the computers boot up. Of course, Zentraedi and Meltrandi computers do not do this. Cera still appears hesitant to act. If anything, Elinor notices the barrel of Cera's flamethrower rise a little toward the monitors.

Toph, on the other hand, catches something the others do not. However, she alone senses it.

Spoiler: Sensing

Radio signals, movie clips, television commercials, they all seem to blend together into one awfully-crazy mishmash of nonsensical gibberish. But... at least to Toph... there is something behind all of that. Something kind of whispering in all of that. Whispers in... what language? Toph isn't sure.

But the human-Meltrandi can bet her wings it's really there and not some spoof of her imagination!

How do the Wild Cards continue?

(Image credit: Pinterest)

STATUS

Location: Inside the Reactor Room at Chessel Corporation Outpost #5
Exciting Mood Music (click to play): Every Breath You Take by The Police

 

[Psychie]

Toph frowns as she hears the mish-mash of sound, sending out the message of, "Quiet for a moment and listen. There is some sort of language in that noise. I'm just not able to put my finger on what it is saying. Can anyone else make it out?"

 

[Sherwood]

Mario freezes in place, his ears straining to make out any kind of sense from the noise now that Toph has pointed it out.

 

[Purr]

Sherwood Captain Hesperus (Tag!)

Mario and Cera both cease their movement. Cera and Elinor are closer to the computer console by 30 feet. Mario, from his position and straining his hearing for all it is worth, does indeed hear some kind of speaking underneath tons of noise. The longer you listen to it, the more you can feel certain that this audio message is indeed real, and possibly in one of Earth's romantic languages, but from where Mario is, he can't for the life of him learn more.

Cera closes her eyes and listens. "There is something there, but it is not Zentraedi nor Meltrandi nor Tirolian. I cannot decipher it. Probably one of your human languages," she adds with more curiosity than disdain.

 

[Sherwood]

Mario makes his way a bit closer to the speakers, trying to wrap his head around what he's hearing. "Cera and Toph are right. It sounds faintly familiar, but I need to get a bit closer to hear better. Lt. Kirin? If you would please come with me? I don't like the idea of you being so far away from the rest of us, alone and not supported."

 

[Psychie]

Toph nods. "Yes, Sergeant. I don't fancy the idea of getting swarmed by these spider bots up there if I am off by myself either. I'm on your left." She then heads with Mario over towards the terminal, all the while keeping a close watch on the robots.

 

[Kaerri]

"Eyyy, amigooo! Howzit hangiiin'?"
That gets a smile from Elinor, and Cera's questioning look only makes the smile bigger. "I'll explain later," she tells the Ura-Meltrandi.

Toph frowns as she hears the mish-mash of sound, sending out the message of, "Quiet for a moment and listen. There is some sort of language in that noise. I'm just not able to put my finger on what it is saying. Can anyone else make it out?"
Elinor nods absently to confirm Mario and Toph's approaching the computers, if they need it. Languages aren't exactly her specialty, but like the others, she leans close and tries to understand what's being said.