Chapter 1: Activation

[Colin]

Harry and David

Down in the media center, Harry and David were able to dig through the systems and interfaces to get the broadcasting system ready to go. The software was similar enough to Harry’s preferred setup for him to find the options he needed and the adjustments were dialed in quickly. While Harry worked, David was able to find a medkit in the room, and a decently sized one. It looked like the sort of pre-positioned kit that would be put in employee-staffed areas in case first responders needed more equipment at a moment's notice.

 

Jessie, Maia, and Radha

In the sub-level of the stadium, the three team members reached the security room door and found it sealed. Nothing any of the three could think of would get them into the room short of finding a keycard or hacking the door, and they lacked the skills for the latter option.

 

Remy and Tyse

On the roof, Remy managed to interface the BattleBuddy with the antenna’s controller, after removing the enclosure access cover. He was able to dig through the BIOS for the system, adjusting the power regulation to give about a 25% boost in signal strength from its safe levels. While he worked, Tyse caught sight of a streak of light high in the air.

 

A solid, dual tone alert signal droned in all the operatives’ heads at the same instant as Tyse’s eyes caught that streak, and across their visions flashed a semi-transparent word repeated three times.

 

KINETIC KINETIC KINETIC

 

The implanted memories allowed the conscripted operatives to know the warning was for orbital kinetic strikes, and the history of the initial stages of the war indicated that the Jaretul liked to soften their targets using such weaponry. Planetary defensive locations, hospitals, manufacturing hubs… All were valid targets to the human-created monsters.

A moment later that streak of light transformed into a line of fire, flashing down to the South East so fast it almost looked like a laser before impacted near the Planetary Security base. Or perhaps even on the base, it was hard to tell from the roof thanks to the massive flash of light followed by an angry mushroom cloud boiling upwards.

 

KINETIC KINETIC KINETIC

 

Another deep rumble to the North West, more distant, as something else was struck, a further away cloud rising up from whatever was hit there. A few seconds later the blast front from the first strike buffeted the stadium while the ground rumbled, causing some stumbles and forcing the two on the roof to grab on to handholds to avoid being blown over.

 

KINETIC KINETIC KINETIC

 

KINETIC KINETIC KINETIC

 

KINETIC KINETIC KINETIC

 

KINETIC KINETIC KINETIC

 

Rumbles shook the ground in waves, some near, some far. At least the stadium didn’t seem to be a target.

 

[Aavarius]

David W.N. Kol [Whiskey-1]

---

For not the first time today David stumbled over.  Fortunately, he was right there next to the computer station and managed to use it to keep his feet under him. 

 

"Kinetic bombardment,"  he breathed.  It wasn't that Harry needed it explained.  After all, he had got the same alert and memory dump that David had gotten.  It was just a vocal expression of a moment of anguish at the lives lost around the city, all in a few moments.  "Bastards."

 

David did his best not to think about where his family was right now. 

---

HP 14 / 14  |  AC 10  |  Physical 12  |  Evasion 12  |  Mental 13

---

Status:  Frackin' toasters! | Notable Equipment:  Medkit

---

Edited July 25, 2022 by Aavarius
Added medkit (see edit history)

[TiffanyKorta]

Jessie Mae

---

Jessie was, for now more than happen to follow along with the plan. She took point keeping a watch out for an potential trouble ahead, just in case she bought out one of her many concealed knives. If they came across anyone armed it might not make a difference, but it made her feel more protected at least.

 

What she wasn't expecting was a code locked door, which really they should have expected. Still this was her first invasion whilst wired up to a team, not her first locked door and she racked her brain for anything she learned from watching other doing this for less than legal means...

 

"Huh! Don't suppose anyone knows the code for this do they?"

---

HP 21 / 21 | AC 17

---

Saves | Physical: 12 | Evasion: 12 | Mental: 12

---

 

[Arcticus]

Remy James Lacroix

---

---

Remy smiled. He hadn't expected that to work. According to his readout, he'd been able to boost the signal by 25%. Maybe we'll be able save some lives... hell, might even spur some people to organize pockets of resistance... he thought. He felt a tiny glimmer of hope. Then the kinetic rounds struck Zanquu.

 

The ensuing tremor and shockwave nearly sent him to an early demise, as he gripped the antenna as tightly as he could. He prayed to Jessia that the antenna itself wouldn't snap. As he regained his footing, his eyes were drawn to the glowering mushroom cloud, towering over what he assumed were the remains of the Planetary Security base. So... this was actual war.

 

He hopped onto the squad frequency. "Everyone alright? Any injuries?"

 

He paused and added, "Harry. David. You guys should probably push that message out. I've got a feeling we'll be losing power soon."

 

---

HP 15 / 15 | AC 14 

---

Saves | Physical: 13 | Evasion: 12 | Mental: 13 | Status: Numb

---

 

OOC (empty)

 

 

[Basil_Bottletop]

Harry van Damme

---

The system had been fairly easy to navigate. The terminology was a little different, but once the UI was decoded it hadn't taken long to get to the right prompts. The program's wizard actually did most of the work for him as he just chose dropdown menu options a few times and suddenly found the task accomplished. It almost felt anticlimactic. His first order for whatever-the-hell this was hadn't been more than a few clicks of a mouse.

 

Then the bombardment alerts rolled in. The desks faced the big glass window and Harry looked over the monitor and into the slightly tinted window. He saw the sharp movement in the distance but didn't immediately know what he was looking at. As they disappeared behind buildings -both near and far- Harry braced himself for whatever impact that might befall them. When the explosion ballooned back into view, he shuddered. He realized he'd been holding his breath and it escaped in one heavy sigh. 

 

His internal radio buzzed up and he heard his name. It broke him from whatever placidity he suddenly found himself. He blinked. Blinked again. Tried to shake the cobwebs and found himself clearing his throat. 

 

Harry grabbed the pill-shaped mic that sat on the shelf next to the desk. This room wasn't normally where the stadium announcer sat -that booth was elsewhere- but it absolutely could be. The mic from the shelf sat in a small gyro stand that allowed for 360 degree movement. The megahertz load-out was what you'd need when recording an album in a studio, which was twice what was necessary this type of job. The whole thing was top of the line. Even the stadiums back-up gear was pristine. Harry had a moment of appreciation for the little details. It helped center him a bit.

 

The chair shifted as he leaned forward into the mic. His elbows planted firmly on the table like he knew what he was doing and this was his practiced battle stance. He clicked a button and a giant red bubble appeared on the screen: RECORDING. His voice was as calm as could be expected, but it was his tone that seemed more in control, "Move to the lower levels of the stadium. Officials are arriving shortly and will direct you to safety. If you have exited the stadium already, seek shelter immediately." Harry's fist slammed hard down on the spacebar. It looked as though even that brief moment of stoicism -to get those words out calmly and clearly- had burst a seam somewhere else in Harry's corkscrewed insides. The stadium speakers whined to life again and his words echoed off the empty seats. After a few seconds they repeated. The loop had been created.

 

Harry grabbed the mouse again and clicked through a few other functions before looking up at David, "What should we say to people like us?" His cursor hovered precariously over a window that read: RADIO OUTPUT OVERRIDE.

 

Outside the quiet semi-soundproof room, the world was exploding. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

---

HP 24 / 24 | AC 17

---

Saves | Physical: 13 | Evasion: 12 | Mental: 12

[Khakhan]

Tyse Expert 3 AC 11 HP 17/ 17 Physical 13 Evasion 12 Mental 13 Status None

The stadium juddered under her feet and Tyse looked out at the massive clouds of debris from the impact point. A massive mushroom cloud blossomed over the Planetary Security Base and she gulped as a bump grew in her throat. "Jessia's Sainted Mother..."

 

She had had friends who worked there. People she knew would have been there when the kinetic bombardment hit. She felt the bile rise in her throat and fought down the panic and nausea before either could spill over. Neither activity would serve to help in the chaos that was rapidly unfolding around her.

 

"Remy... Remy!" Her tongue tripped over his name the first time, thick and uncooperative, so she had to spit his name out a second time. "We should probably get down from here. Quickly. Is there anything else we can do from here?" The further impacts had already nearly knocked them off their feet, any closer and they'd probably be knocked flying. If we don't get immediately atomized by the impact. 

 

Edited August 4, 2022 by Khakhan (see edit history)

[Arcticus]

Remy James Lacroix

---

---

Remy's mind felt slow. The mushroom clouds where the Kinetic rounds had hit seemed to billow slowly. The roof beneath him shuddered slowly. His thoughts seemed slow too.

 

"Remy..."

 

He half-expected a tidal wave of concussive force to roll along and finally knock him off the roof. Even as the quakes threatened his perch, he felt slow and clumsy. Another strong impact and he...

 

"REMY!"

 

He shook his head. How much time had he spent gawking and frozen in place. He shook his head.

 

He glanced at Tyse and said, "Don't think so. I already boosted the signal as much as it could go. Probably best to meet up with everyone else."

 

He flicked over to the squad frequency on his battle buddy. "Team Three this is Remy-er.. Whiskey-Six. I'm headed back down toward you guys. Could you mark your location on the map with your battle buddy?"

 

He paused and added, "Also, any luck with that security room?"

---

HP 15 / 15 | AC 14 

---

Saves | Physical: 13 | Evasion: 12 | Mental: 13 | Status: Numb

---

 

OOC (full)

@Colin Remy is going to head down with Tyse toward Team 3, aka Jessie et al

 

Edited August 10, 2022 by Arcticus (see edit history)

[Zhuub]

Radha T'Iisby

---

---

Radha nodded quietly as Remy - Whiskey 6 - began taking charge. While waiting, she thought to pull information from her Battle Buddy on the Jaretuul. Were they sentient? Could they be reasoned with? The horrific information she found shook Radha to her very core, and she only came out of her stupor when the trio made it to the locked security door. "Thank you, Maia, for getting us here." She couldn't quite find the words for how nice and protected Jessie made her feel, but she could mention it later when they had a moment. If there would ever be a quiet moment again. 

 

She let out a little laugh at Jessie's direct approach to their door problem, and found she was able to breathe again. "Well I don't have the code, but I am sure we could find a keycard around here somewhere. Especially as everyone left in a hurry. Maybe in some offices or locker rooms nearby? I can go check. I'll be back before you know it." Radha ducked down the hall, testing doors quickly and relishing the ability to move so freely with her newly repaired leg. 

 

After checking a few rooms, a translucent KINETIC KINETIC KINETIC appeared across her vision. She shook her head, blinking strongly a few times. "That's just a wall, Battle Buddy. What are you going on about?" And then she felt the earthquake, and knew it wasn't an earthquake. She fell to her knees, and offered up a tearful prayer for the souls Jessia was about to receive. 

13 hours ago, Arcticus said:

"Team Three this is Remy-er.. Whiskey-Six. I'm headed back down toward you guys. Could you mark your location on the map with your battle buddy?"

"Also, any luck with that security room?"

Radha stood, and marked her location and where she had left Jessie and Maia at the door earlier. Or, at least she thought she had marked them. Was talking to "We're here," though I'm not quite sure where that is "And no luck yet, but we'll have it open by the time you get here, Jessia willing. Be safe."

HP 13 / 13 | AC 9

---

Saves | Physical: 12 | Evasion: 13 | Mental: 12

[Colin]

Security Room

Jessie was able to determine that this lock definitely was going to require either a proximity card or a very advanced hacking tool to be able to bypass the system. While Radha searched nearby offices for keycards, Remy and Tyse were able to head down through the levels of the stadium with only minimum stumbling from shockwaves. 

 

Radha found what looked like a workable card in the meantime, and a minute later Remy had arrived at the locked security room door.

While the squad worked on their tasks, relocated positions, and generally dealt with the joys of orbital bombardment, something new happened: Their HUDs lit up with two airborne beacons, broadcasting with the label [4W Advance Emergency Drop]. From the angle at which they were coming in, it looked like whatever they were had just entered the atmosphere and were dropping fast towards the unit's position.

 

Remy's HUD showed dozens of additional ally-flagged beacons, all without labels, dropping towards what looked to be other areas of the city.
 

[Aavarius]

David W.N. Kol [Whiskey-1]

HP 17/ 17 AC 10 Physical 12 Evasion 12 Mental 13 System Strain 0 / 14 Expert Re-Roll [YES] Misc. Bookkeeping None

---

"Jessia," David swore.  His first instinct when answering Harry was utter bewilderment.  It was knee-jerk.  "I dunno, man."

 

There was so much happening at once and all of it was bad.  In his career he had been in numerous situations that required him to make judgement calls in a moment of crisis.  He had been responsible for peoples' lives before, but somehow this seemed...different.  Heavier.  Working a code in the back of the ambulance seemed like child's play all of a sudden.

 

But war waited for no man.

 

"Uh.  Let's let 'em know we got increased radio coverage--at least for the time being.  Get them all to update everyone within range in the Battle Buddy network on their position and status.  Right now we're scattered to the wind, and if we can't coordinate each team is going to get picked off.  I think you and I are going to have to be rudimentary dispatch until the cavalry arrives. 

 

David grabbed one of those rolly office chairs.  There were quite a few unoccupied ones in the room considering the recent mass evacuation.  He slid up next to Harry and dug a black permanent marker out of the mess on top of the desk.  Harry could see clear as day what he was doing.  David drew a couple quick and dirty charts directly on the surface of the desk.  The columns were shorthand notations for troop numbers, positions, equipment, points of strategic interest, and related.  Most of it was empty, but Whiskey squad he was already beginning to fill in.  The logistics for how to manage this kind of thing wasn't there a few minutes ago, but now that the memories and experience of a whole squad of special forces had been dumped into his brain he was finding he understood a whole lot of new things. This was going to be a rolling disaster of a feat, but they at least had to try.

 

"If we can field the calls this'll help us keep track of the whosits and the wheresits," he offered. 

 

Those were technical terms, you see.

Edited August 20, 2022 by Aavarius (see edit history)

[Basil_Bottletop]

Harry van Damme

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Harry pulled his hand away from the mouse for a moment. The threat of opening up communications without a plan was a viable one and he was best to just not tempt fates. He watched as his partner processed everything. His own processing was on standby because he'd been busy with a task he was comfortable with; a reprieve that not everyone had available to them at the moment.

 

Harry shuffled his own wheeled chair over a little to give David a better glance at the monitor, as he thought that's what he wanted to see. When he saw him reach for a marker and start mapping out something, Harry was fully engrossed. Bombs were falling out of the sky, but all he wanted to know in that moment was what the man was drawing. The coping mechanism was working wonders.

 

As the callsigns started to flesh out, Harry saw -in a broader sense- what David was trying to accomplish. The cursor jumped a moment as he returned his hand to the mouse. He moved through the widget with some trepidation. He hoped he was doing what he had set out to accomplish. Click. Click.

 

In an even tempered voice he began, "Hullo to the People," He paused for a moment realizing he'd opened with his standard intro and not something more official. Old habits die hard, even in wartime. Too late now, keep going. "This is your Voice...err, This is Whiskey-Two coming to you from A Place with a View. If you hear me, you're like me, and let's get this shit organized. We've got incoming friendlies. If you're non-contact with your team, hit up my buddy Whiskey-One. He'll get you situated. Everybody else, keep on task. We'll be here however long we can be, yea?."

 

Talking into the void wasn't something new to Harry. But there was something eerie about the idea that for the first time in his career he realized that if people weren't hearing him, it was already over. 

[Aavarius]

David W.N. Kol [Whiskey-1]

HP 17/ 17 AC 10 Physical 12 Evasion 12 Mental 13 System Strain 0 / 14 Expert Re-Roll [YES] Misc. Bookkeeping None

---

"Oh, wait you're--" David cut himself off.  He didn't know if that comment had gone through the airwaves or not.  But it was immediately obvious what was going through his head:  recognition. David knew that voice.  

 

"Man, you're that Harry!" he went on in a much, much quieter tone.  Was it weird getting starstruck in the middle of a warzone?  It was probably weird.  But it happened anyway.  David tried to keep it under control.  "We listen to your show in the ambulance all the time."  They worked odd hours, often on an overnight shift.  In between calls they had to pass the time somehow.

 

But there was, as mentioned, a warzone going on 'round them.  David didn't exactly have time to get an autograph.  Into the extended Battle Buddy network he said, "Much obliged, yeah.  Whiskey-One to all units:  Report position and status as you're able.  We're your dispatch."

 

Maybe he wasn't so charismatic (or comfortable sounding at this) as his radio personality buddy...but his just-the-facts message was about all he could think to say right now.  That, and something else:  "Hope is on the way.  We're going to tell the bastards, this far, no further!"

 

Edited August 24, 2022 by Aavarius (see edit history)

[Arcticus]

Remy James Lacroix

---

---

Remy called out to the swiftly returning Radha, "Good work on the key. Lets get this door open and grab as much gear as we can."

 

As he waited for the door to open, he saw the Emergency Drop markers pop up on his battle buddy. Looked like their beacon would drop nearby them. Good. Hopefully this drop had some actual weapons. Some armor or anything to protect them would also be nice, though he wasn't sure what kind of armor could possibly protect someone from something like the Jaretul. He looked at the unlabeled beacons. Looked like there might be one for each squad. He was sure his squad and the other squads were seeing this, but just in case...

 

He keyed the squad comm. "Heads up. Looks like we've got an emergency supply drop. We're gonna grab whatever we can from this security room and hightail it to beacon. Team Two what's your stat—" 

 

His battle buddy had picked up a new "all-stations" frequency and, with it, a surprisingly familiar voice. No way, he thought. Of all the people... He'd listened Harry's show a lot times when he was stuck working late, which was most days honestly. Not even thirty minutes ago, his biggest complaint in life would have been being forced to work late. In light of the current events though, he would be happy if he stayed alive long enough to work a normal job again.

 

He listened to Harry and David's broadcast. So they were going to try and coordinate the other squads? That actually made a lot of sense. Remy mentally kicked himself for not thinking of that. "Team Two, good plan. Stay where you're at and keep the lines open as long as possible. We're going to grab supplies and hit up that beacon. When we've grabbed everything, we'll rendezvous on your location and set up shop. If you can... try to notify the other squads of the impending emergency drops. I'll mark the locations of every beacon on the map."

 

He paused, chewing on a thought. "Also, try to see if you can send everyone the map that we have. It may help with coordinating everything."

 

---

HP 15 / 15 | AC 14 

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Saves | Physical: 13 | Evasion: 12 | Mental: 13 | Status: Low-key starstruck

---

 

OOC (full)

@Colin Pretty much as soon as the door is open Remy is intending for just a straight forward "smash'n'grab" of anything that looks remotely useful. Not looking to spend a ton of time in here.

 

[Colin]

Security Room

The security room proximity reader gave a beep and the light turned green when the badge was scanned, the door lock popping open and the door sliding sideways into the wall. Inside was a rather impressive computer workstation surrounded on three sides by large screens, showing security camera footage from all around the stadium, as well as controls for various security measures for the building.

 

A small weapons locker took up one corner next to the door with a handful of shotguns and rifles, and the other door-side corner had some shelves with a couple paramedic-sized medical bags located on them.

 

On the teams’ HUDs the markers for their pods rapidly grew closer, until it was clear they were going to touch down possibly in the stadium itself.

 

Broadcasting Booth

From the broadcasting booth, Harry and David were ideally positioned for a view of the incoming supply pods, and it was evident that these were not some sort of parachute supply drop. Two streaks of fire streaked down from above the clouds, and right before it looked like they were going to crater into the stadium there were three rapid explosions from each pod that echoed off the empty concrete structure. Two small thrusters flared immediately after out of the smoke from the blasts, and then the pair of pill-shaped pods impacted the ground at around 30 km/h, sticking up out of the fake turf of the field.

 

The BattleBuddy HUDs chimed and the location carats marking the pods blinked green a couple times, indicating they were down and intact, ready to supply the conscripted Operative unit.

 

[Aavarius]

David W.N. Kol [Whiskey-1]

HP 17/ 17 AC 10 Physical 12 Evasion 12 Mental 13 System Strain 0 / 14 Expert Re-Roll [YES] Misc. Bookkeeping None

---

When it looked like they had everything up and running David let out a big exhale.  Nobody had died yet.  That was a good sign, right?  He thought about what he knew of these gengeneered monstrosities and tried to lie to himself that everything was going to work out.  It didn't help much.

 

At least this radio system might help us keep a few more people alive, he assured himself.  Hope and prayer were about all he could expect right now.  Then again...

 

"Harry," he started to say.  He thumbed over his shoulder towards the window to the central stadium bowl.  "Let's go see what the Easter Bunny sent us.  Candy egg from the sky full of guns feels like divine intervention right about now."

 

David stood up, sliding his rolly office chair aside.  He peered out the window, judging to the best of his ability the way below.  A lot of stairs were between them and the pitch, but it was down hill all the way.  Easier descending than ascending.  He hoped that at the bottom of the stairs there was a reasonably safe place to hop the final drop that separated the grass from the concrete stands. 

 

It didn't matter right now that he didn't know how to use any of that gear down there a few minutes ago.  It was time to put that implanted knowledge to the test.