Crisis in Anker City [IC]

[Sala]

Thoth Gesheer, Captain of the Gullwind

---

Thoth does spare a glance under the table. Nothing visible, but he ain't really a bomb guy.

Besides, robots have been the modus operandi so far. Still not ruling out a killbot ambush. Sitting back up in his chair, he brushes some of the long fur coming off the side of his head back over his shoulder. "Could be," he answers Helm. Being cagey about that detail doesn't matter much, now that Lyra let the name of the victim slip. "About four hours ago, Vreen's colleague was killed. Murder weapon seems to be a hacked protocol droid with a blaster. Ransacked lab and a Vreen left behind," he explains. Leaning forward, he directs a wagging finger at Marlo. "And somebody sure knows about this meeting at this table at this time, because another droid actin' funny is what dropped me this location. And his name," the finger sways to Wessex.

Thoth's eyes go around to the other players at the table. "So whoever this hacker is, good chance he knows who all of you are, and he knows you're all here. If you're not involved, I'd be worrying why. And if you are involved, I'd be thinking about talking before you get trimmed like a loose end."

OOC

 

 

Character Status

Character Sheet

Parry: 2
Toughness: 4 Base (Skeinsuit: +4 vs Inertial/Ballistic, Albedo Screen)
Bennies: 0/4
In hand: Laser Pistol

 

[Paro]

~ Day 61, 2350 (21:30 hrs remain) Zebulon System ~

---

Marlo was no longer so jovial or amused. "Hmmm, this is not a planned meeting but merely a chance encounter at the casino... or at least it appears this way to me. But interesting that you mentioned a protocol robot."

 

Helm was looking from on to the other and looked like ate something bad, "I don't know what you are talking about, but I had nothing to do with murdering anyone. Never met any Doctor Len. That is on Vreen."

 

Denn Wessex looked over at Helm with some contempt, "You are probably playing way over your head anyway. Maybe you should mind your own business."

Lira was focused on Wessex, contemplating his reactions.

Wessex continued, "So you think Vreen was manipulating us all to be here at the same time to meet, eh? I was supposed to meet him here about 40 minutes ago, but he is late. Why do you think he would want us all to be here and meet?"

OOC

 

[Sala]

Thoth Gesheer, Captain of the Gullwind

---

As expected, Helm broke first, revealing in full his involvement. Hired help, and none too smart from the sounds of it. The implication from Marlo seems to be that the city's investigation did not arrange for Thoth to meet him here like this.

And Wessex remains cool as a cucumber. Thoth glances over his shoulder out at the casino floor, then turns back to the table. "Ain't that what everybody'd like to know," he answers. Tapping two fingers on the table, he guesses, "Maybe Vreen wasn't so keen on meeting with you, Denn, so he sent a proxy to see if you were dangerous. Or maybe Vreen is the dangerous one, like I said before, and we're all sitting in his web. Why were you supposed to meet him, hm? And you, Helm? Might shed some light on why we're all here."

OOC

 

 

Character Status

Character Sheet

Parry: 2
Toughness: 4 Base (Skeinsuit: +4 vs Inertial/Ballistic, Albedo Screen)
Bennies: 0/4
In hand: Laser Pistol

 

[Paro]

~ Day 61, 2355 (21:25 hrs remain) Zebulon System ~

---

Marlo did not interject, but probably realized that Thoth's interrogation was not including him for a reason and his cover might be seen through.

 

Helm shrugged, "I was not here to meet Vreen at all. My business with him was finished a awhile ago and I was paid. Big success if do say so, ya know. If you must know, that was what I was talking about before."

 

Denn Wessex was dismissive of the golden-skinned man and his boast.

Wessex laughed at Thoth's questions about his business, "Surely you are joking. Just because you talk nice and smooth, I would not review my business to a stranger in a casino. A certainly not in front of her," he nodded towards Agent Acoma.

With all the talk about Vreen, play had paused. Suddenly the lighting for the booth started acting funny, by flickering and changing colors. The table itself had lighting and changeable patterns built into it and the surface color switched from a visual of green felt to swirling multi-colored pattern. Then there was a hum and pop sound as the table's electronics went dead.

OOC

 

Edited March 30 by Paro (see edit history)

[Sala]

Thoth Gesheer, Captain of the Gullwind

---

"Well, if he didn't talk to you at all, must mean he knew you'd be here already," Thoth theorizes at Helm. Wessex is not so transparent, and Thoth is about to open his mouth to say more about either him or Marlo when the table's electronic display fizzles, pops and goes out. "Guess it's time for the other shoe to drop," he gets out of the booth and stays low to the ground (not hard for his height), looking around to see if the rest of the casino has experienced any sudden interruption.

OOC

 

 

Character Status

Character Sheet

Parry: 2
Toughness: 4 Base (Skeinsuit: +4 vs Inertial/Ballistic, Albedo Screen)
Bennies: 0/4
In hand: Laser Pistol

 

[Paro]

~ Day 61, 2400 (21:20 hrs remain) Zebulon System ~

---

Denn Wessex and Lira also got to their feet, Agent Acma stay close to Thoth and Wessex going in the other direction. Marlo and Helm were scrambling to get to their feet as well.

From the upper level, where the rest of the team was drinking and keeping watch there was some screaming. It began softly and rose steadily. People rushed away from the doorway, and there were several coming down the wide stairs towards the bar and casino booths.

In their wake was a heavy-duty industrial labor robot, over 2 meters in height and probably weighing 400kgs. It was using tracks for mobility and two thick appendages that ended with pincer grips.

It was sweeping the pincer gripped appendages side to side, clearing everything from its path like paper litter. Several more impromptu attachments had been spot-wielded to the robot's surface, the most intimidating of which was a focused beam cutter which it was leveling towards those in its way as it advanced. It was heading straight towards the booth where Thoth and company had been.

At the top of the stairs, Granger, Alyson, and Nikki were visible behind the hulking robot, checking to see what was going on. While Nikki and Alyson were not sure what to do yet, Granger was a soldier and man of action. He drew the laser pistol and aimed. Nothing happened and he could be seen cursing as the weapon did not fire.

The robot closed in and was only 8 meters away from the booth, the bystanders were going this way and that in between. The robot's beam cutter injured one of them and man went down.

OOC

Initiative

Granger & Company - King Diamonds

Robot - Jack Clubs

MAX-23 - 8 Spades

Lira - 6 Spades

Thoth - 5 Clubs

 

Results

Granger's Weapon did not work

Robot took out a bystander

[Sala]

Thoth Gesheer, Captain of the Gullwind

---

When Granger's gun doesn't go off, Thoth thinks to himself that there's something to be said for a good old slugthrower when someone as tech-savvy as this is coming around.

And it's a real shame he didn't bring one. "Remember what I said about him coming to take us out?" Thoth breaks from the table and, with the robot in the way of the exit, moves down further into the casino floor. It was focused on them, so he could buy Granger time to grab a more suitable weapon by keeping distance. The others have an easier time keeping up with their longer legs, and MAX produces a laser pistol of his own to take a test shot at the robot while they move.

Agent Acoma turns her eyes to searching for something to use as a more effective weapon.

OOC

 

Thoth, MAX and Lira will move towards the deeper part of the casino floor, which I believe was down some more stairs.

MAX: Draws his laser pistol to take a shot at the robot. Rolling for it in case it does work.

Lira: Active Notice to search for anything useful they could use on the robot in the environment.

Thoth: Run action to keep up with the long-legs' movement.

Character Status

Character Sheet

Parry: 2
Toughness: 4 Base (Skeinsuit: +4 vs Inertial/Ballistic, Albedo Screen)
Bennies: 0/4
In hand: Laser Pistol

 

[Paro]

~ Day 61, 2400 (21:20 hrs remain) Zebulon System ~

---

MAX-23 had a good aim on a critical part of the robot's head, but his laser pistol did nothing. He looked at it and said, "It is just not working, like there is no power to it. Just like our table."

Lira had moved to another booth, and its table's electronics went dead as well. The robot server beside it stopped moving as well, its LEDs going dark. She was looking over the other patrons, seeing if anyone was carrying a weapon that might be useful without power, but she had no luck so far.

Thoth moved in the other direction and the next nearby table was dark as well. But not every table in the casino had been affected and the next one over was fine. Moving through the panicked patrons was difficult.

 

OOC

Map Notes: Orange Circled Booth where everyone was playing. Red circled tables are dark.

Granger & Co at the foot of stairs

Robot is left of gap between Red circled tables leading to orange table.

 

Initiative

Lira - Queen Hearts

Alyson - Jack Hearts

Robot - Jack Diamonds

MAX-23 - 6 Clubs

Granger & Extras - 5 Diamonds

Thoth - 3 Hearts

 

Results

MAX-23's laser pistol did not respond

Lira could not find a weapon

 

[Sala]

Thoth Gesheer, Captain of the Gullwind

---

As the other tables begin to lose power with their movements, Thoth guesses aloud, "Some kind of targeted EMP?" Either the robot was shielded from the effect, or they couldn't be targeted when near it or it would shut down...

But next to the giant industrial robot isn't exactly the ideal place to shoot it from, even if the gamble proved to work.

 

While Thoth tries to figure out what to do, Lira pulls out her pocket tool. If she could get onto the robot's back out of its reach, maybe she could disconnect its power supply. Leaping over one of the tables, she attempts to get around behind it, maintaining her distance for now.

With her armaments likewise electronic in nature, Alyson turns towards the casino-goers and tries to appeal to them to help.

OOC

 

Lira draws pocket tool and jumps a table to get on the other side of the robot. Run action for extra circling distance.

Alyson attempts to convince bystanders with working weapons to help stop the rampaging robot with Persuasion. I'll leave her dialogue up to you so it's in character... and fitting the roll.

Character Status

Character Sheet

Parry: 2
Toughness: 4 Base (Skeinsuit: +4 vs Inertial/Ballistic, Albedo Screen)
Bennies: 0/4
In hand: Laser Pistol

 

[Paro]

~ Day 61, 2400 (21:20 hrs remain) Zebulon System ~

---

Lira was able to jump up on a darken gambling table and climb the edge of the booth to reach the stairs behind the robot. It did not appear to care about her acrobatics.

Alyson waved her arms at people, standing in front of them as they were heading the opposite way from rampaging labor robot with a cutting torch. "Please, do something to stop it before it hurts someone!" She was being ignored and jostled aside by panicking patrons trying to get clear.

The robot moved closer to the booth, its tracked mobility crushing and tipped over chair in its path as rolled in between two of the darkened tables. Its pincers grabbed a gambler that was not fast enough to run by and arm and lifted the poor guy off his feet. It flung the struggling man to the side, dislocating the man's shoulder in the process. It did not appear to be adversely affected by whatever was knocking out power around the booth.

 

OOC

Map Notes: Orange Circled Booth where everyone was playing. Red circled tables are dark.

Lira, Granger & Co at the foot of stairs

Robot is in gap between Red circled tables leading to orange table.

 

Initiative

Lira - Queen Hearts

Alyson - Jack Hearts

Robot - Jack Diamonds

MAX-23 - 6 Clubs

Granger & Extras - 5 Diamonds

Thoth - 3 Hearts

 

Results

Lira succeeded to get behind Robot

Alyson failed persuasion

Robot injured bystander

 

[Sala]

Thoth Gesheer, Captain of the Gullwind

---

Granger exchanges his laser for his blaster SMG, taking careful aim. A stray shot in the fleeing crowd could lead to accidental casualties and more charges on their heads. Beside him, Nikki pats herself down and finds her molecular knife, making a grimace at the weapon - her AK rifle had been checked with security. Though she doubts she would be risking arm's reach of that thing, she hurries up the stairs to find some way to help.

Seeing Lira moving with some sort of plan, Thoth grabs one of the nearby stools and tosses it to the floor in the path of the robot, hoping that crushing over them will slow it down enough to buy some time.

Weapon rendered inoperable, MAX joins him, tossing a second stool into the robot's path, hoping to stack them against one another and make them harder to traverse.

OOC

 

MAX holds action until Thoth's action.

Granger switches weapons to his Blaster SMG and takes the Aim maneuver.

Nikki draws her molecular knife and moves up the stairs.

Thoth and MAX throw two stools from nearby tables into the robot's path to slow it down.

Character Status

Character Sheet

Parry: 2
Toughness: 4 Base (Skeinsuit: +4 vs Inertial/Ballistic, Albedo Screen)
Bennies: 0/4
In hand: Laser Pistol

 

[Paro]

~ Day 61, 2400 (21:20 hrs remain) Zebulon System ~

---

The chairs in the robot's path would not likely slow down the tracks it used to navigate all-terrain. It had no trouble with the stairs or a fallen drink delivery robot that had been knocked over into its path earlier.

 

Flicking off the safety for his blaster SMG, Granger did not hear the typical beat as the weapon was charged and ready to prime the plasma. Apparently he was still within the effects of the electrical outage. "Mawk, why are some stuff working still?" he asked in exasperation.

Lira had some potential insight, "Maybe it is a field that in only affecting a certain area."

 

OOC

Map Notes: Orange Circled Booth where everyone was playing. Red circled tables are dark.

Lira, Granger & Co at the foot of stairs

Robot is in gap between Red circled tables leading to orange table.

 

Initiative

Lira - Joker

Alyson - Joker

Robot - 10 Diamonds

MAX-23 - 10 Clubs

Granger & Extras - 4 Clubs

Thoth - 3 Clubs

 

Results

 

[Sala]

Thoth Gesheer, Captain of the Gullwind

---

"That means somebody's targeting it from somewhere!" Thoth hollers. Alyson searches for who might be controlling the dampening field, or where it might be projected from.

While the robot is approaching the others, Lira takes a deep breath and moves with a surge of adrenaline, attempting to latch onto its back and use her multitool to unscrew and tamper with its electronics. She grits her teeth and hopes its range of motion isn't enough to grab her from its back.

OOC

 

Lira tries to piggyback on the robot from behind and disable or disrupt its electronics, with Joker to counteract multi-action penalty.

Alyson attempts to search for the source of the weapons interference.

Character Status

Character Sheet

Parry: 2
Toughness: 4 Base (Skeinsuit: +4 vs Inertial/Ballistic, Albedo Screen)
Bennies: 0/4
In hand: Laser Pistol

 

[Paro]

~ Day 61, 2400 (21:20 hrs remain) Zebulon System ~

---

Lira tried to latch onto the robot, hoping to get a foothold on the fenders over the tracked propulsion while she clung to the back. Her hands slipped off and stumbled backwards to regain her balance after the attempt.

 

The robot twisted around at the torso and made a swipe at her with a gripper appendage. It caught her arm and pulled her dangling into the air.

 

Alyson took a closer look, peering over the nearby booth with dead electronics and looked towards the booth where Thoth and the others were playing cards. Her attention caught something subtle. While the table surface electronics were dead, there was a still an LED blinking on the pedestal underneath. The other table to the left next to it was also dead at the pedestal. She pointed, "Hey, your booth looks to still have power yet, but not the one next to it."

 

OOC

Map Notes: Orange Circled Booth where everyone was playing. Red circled tables are dark.

Granger & Co at the foot of stairs

Lira & Robot are only a couple meters west of the orange booth

 

Initiative

Lira - Joker

Alyson - Joker

Robot - 10 Diamonds

MAX-23 - 10 Clubs

Granger & Extras - 4 Clubs

Thoth - 3 Clubs

 

Results

Robot rolled 11 on opposed Athletics Check

Robot grappled Lira, beating her on opposed Athletics Check

Lira is Bound and Entangled

Alyson noticed something

 

 

Edited April 17 by Paro (see edit history)

[Sala]

Thoth Gesheer, Captain of the Gullwind

---

"Grap!" Thoth runs to attempt to help Lira, in a panic. As he runs ahead, MAX turns to squat next to the table where Alyson had pointed out. Taking out his own pocket tool, he attempts to crack it open aid disable it - or whatever device had been planted inside of it.

Keeping his SMG in one hand, Granger grabs his own molecular knife and runs up the stairs after Nikki. Nikki hesitates for a moment, then scoots around the table to stab at the robot from behind while it's occupied with Lira. Thoth arrives next to her, leaping into the air and attempting to pistol whip it in the back of its head with his bricked gun.

OOC

 

MAX attempts to open up the table and shut off the weapons jammer.

Granger draws his knife on one hand and Runs into melee with the robot.

Nikki engages the robot in melee and attacks it. (1 gangup from Granger)

Thoth wild attacks the robot with his pistol as an improvised weapon. (2 gangup from Granger and Nikki)

Character Status

Character Sheet

Parry: 2
Toughness: 4 Base (Skeinsuit: +4 vs Inertial/Ballistic, Albedo Screen)
Bennies: 0/4
In hand: Laser Pistol