[Nexus] Remnant HQ

[UncleWolf]

In the remains of the ISF HQ,, the survivors hasten to rebuild and remake. Even though it is so soon after the explosion, the fence has been mostly repaired, and gun turrets have been set up. Only a few of the towers and buildings remain from before, but they have already been fitted with heavier weapons.

Already, plans for new defenses are being made. Better ones. Stronger ones.

This is the home of the remains of the Imperial Army, The Imperial Security Force, and Mortal Coil.

[happyturtle]

Spoiler

Show

HQ

Sunny will find herself suddenly in a chaotic mess of people, machines, and weapon fire. Oh, wait, that's just the comm channels and battle screens.

One on, she'll see Carl's name. The view on it is of a manhole cover that a pair of arms on the helmet cam is moving. "-nered it. I have sent the others ahead to the second one. Will try to keep in contact."

"Good luck, Carl. Vasquez out." She says from the main chair in the room. She then turns to Sunny. "You've been activated. Get with Geoff and the repair teams. We're on Aux Power and need the main lines repaired now."

MagMart

Archer, the pug puppy, is left barking frantically. First Daddy and then Mummy got eaten by the glowing stuff! D=

ISF HQ

Sunny teleports in on one knee, and is staggered as she feels machines dying all around her. She dimly registers Carl's voice, but can't make out what he's saying. The language part of her brain is the most damaged, and the first to shut down when there are problems. Instead of the word 'Carl', his identity is labelled in her memory with a feeling of safety and the smell of waffles. 'Vasquez' is identified with the memorized schematics of a robotic arm.

A sudden surge of irritation fills Sunny. If it could be put into words, it would be something like 'Why is robotarmwoman wasting my time with talk when I need to be working?'

She makes a growling noise as she gets to her feet, and heads off to get main power back up.

Null Zone

Not far from the (secret) temple, Lauretta and some of the other priests are leading displaced citizens to the Emergency Bunkers, trying to restore order and reduce panic, as far as they can.

Blue Zone



"I hear him loudest in thy room," Aleida says. "He calls for his daughter." She points a shaky finger towards a wall, near the bed. "It is there, that I hear him most clear."

The wall seems to hold nothing but a painting of a bowl of fruit.

((For continuity's sake, this occurs somewhat before the city erupted in chaos.))

ISF HQ

Sunny uses emergency power to radio a message to her hibernated attack robots at Watchtower, while working desperately to bring power back up. Meanwhile, on Vasquez's screen, the combat specs of all the robots become available, with a note that they'll be outside Watchtower's teleblock field in 6 minutes.

It's not Sunny's decision how to expend their limited power, or deploy combat assets. She merely is making them available to Vasquez and getting straight back to work.

1st Lt Alice Delisle is working communications, doing whatever she can to keep lines alive.

Sunny and Geoff are working together, getting the power back up - the machine empath and the madboy Spark, barely needing to speak a word between them, just knowing what needs to be done. An odd form of telepathy based on complete trust in the other's intelligence.

One last twist of the screw from Geoff and a mental encouragement to succeed from Sunny, and the base becomes brighter as full power is restored. A few scattered cheers are heard, but most people are too busy to even spare that much attention. Sunny herself merely moves on to the next most urgent task.

[UncleWolf]

Sunny's robots are sent to recover all the remaining supplies, and other survivors stream in from the surrounding areas, being called in to assist in rebuilding. Work trucks are being brought in to pour new concrete to fill the craters, and blocks are being laid down to build better walls. All in all, there's several hundred people working, but it doesn't seem like it's enough.

It's going to be a long time before things are close to being back to anything remotely normal.

In the Command Center, Vasquez breathes easier when the power is restored. She gives a nod and the generators are shut off to allow them to cool down. She watches one screen the most though. On it, is the number of resources they have at their disposal. They weren't nearly as much as she had hoped for, but was a lot more than expected.

The armories made it out mostly intact, and so did most of the other main supply caches, but the Motor Pools and Hangers took heavy blows.

Now that main power was back on, they had nearly complete control over the portal system, and luckily all of the base wide defense systems such as the teleblockers weren't destroyed. Damaged, yes, but easily repairable. She sends a tech team to do so as she begins rerouting incoming forces.

She knows they're weak at the moment, and they had to secure what they could. People were going to take advantage of this, and they had to be ready.

"Remember..." She begins to tell all available units. "If attacked, or if you come upon a group of people taking advantage of the situation, do not hesitate to open up with lethal force."

[billtodamax]

Out of the wreckage of the motor-pool steps a large robot. Its main eye is blinking heavily, its ten foot frame sooty, but surprisingly intact.

If any records remained, it would be noted that there were originally three of these. The other two, if they still exist, are nowhere to be seen.

What was the source of this explosion? It asks in a dead monotone.

Instructions required from high-ranking military official. Knowledge requested on the location of one "Iggy", one General Jonathon Noir, one General Leon Vettel. Power recharge requested.

[UncleWolf]

A pair of technicians look up, guns raised at the sudden appearance of the robot, but lower them when they recognize it. One begins to say something snarky, but gets a glare from the man next to her, who turns to it and raises his voice. "Event and Locations are unknown. A Power Coupling is at the North side of the old Barracks." He tells the robot, pointing at the half-ruined building. "It should be functional."

Meanwhile, fire teams begin evacuating the nearby buildings, promising the occupants money when the repairs are over, but needing them out for security reasons. On the rooftops of the taller buildings, sniper/spotter teams set up, small-scale teleblockers next to them, and begin keeping an eye on the area.

[Morty]

Anatolij is wherever he's needed during the emergency. I imagine Vaquez sent the Mortal Coil troopers to various places.

Meanwhile, a bunch of goblins is approaching the complex.

[UncleWolf]

The snipers watch the Goblins when they're first noticed, crosshairs on whichever seems to wear the gaudiest clothes since those tend to be the leader. As they approach the gate, several heavy weapons, deployed behind sandbags, turn towards them. A woman with a few red scales on her face, and wearing Mortal Coil power armor raises her hand to stop their approach. "Halt! Who are you?"

Anatolij would have been put on construction duty with many of the others.

[Morty]

The goblin in the front is Grimzig, who used to work for the Empire before moving to the Underside Colony. He's a somewhat obese, tall goblin in working clothes, with spiky hair and sideburns. He waves a white flag. Don't shoot! We come in peace.

[UncleWolf]

The goblins will see a big and burly man, also wearing power armor, nudge Dizzy to the side. "Move aside, ye git. He's a good 'un." Grimzig may have heard of Geoff, M.C.'s main mechanic. "Come on, we need these blast walls built, and fast. All of your lads can pitch in. Others are working with the electronics for now." he says before waving them after him as he heads inside.

[Morty]

The goblins head inside. Yeah, sure. We heard about the mess up here in the colony and the Boss let me come to help.

[UncleWolf]

Geoff nods. "It's appreciated." he says before gesturing at the massive trucks hauling in supplies. "Lets get these unloaded, and we gotta get as much of a Blast Wall as possible set up before an attack happens."

After he says so, he'll begin to do what he said he'd do, and if asked, will guide the goblins on how to build it.

[Haruki-kun]

Psi approaches HQ. "Current analysis indicates political situation in 'Nexus' has been severely altered. Old data must be overwritten. Further research is suggested. Suggestion accepted."

She'll start talking to anyone who's near her, and enter as far into HQ as they'll let her.

[Morty]

Grimzig and his goblins will get to work on the wall. They lack Reelshka's expertise, but they work quickly all the same.

[UncleWolf]

Gate

Psi will be stopped at the gate, and one of the guards groans, being one who dealt with her last time. "Oh geeze, again?" he sighs and raises his voice. "It's suggested that you come back at another time. In about two or three days when the risk of danger of bodily harm to you, is at a minimum."

Inside-Walls

And presumably, they begin to make quick progress on the blast wall. It's going to be a couple feet thick, and ten feet high by the end, but that's going to take a few hours.

[Haruki-kun]

Gate

"Suggestion rejected. Unit is designed to gather data regardless of danger of bodily harm." Her systems recognize the guard. "Subject determined to have interacted with Unit before. Currently researching political situation within 'Nexus'."

[UncleWolf]

Gate

The guard grumbles as the other one snickers at him. He gives her a glare before turning back to Psi. "The..." he thinks quickly. "That information is not available at this time. Please return at a later time and it will be given to you."

[Lord Magtok]

RING RING! RING RING!

Hey Vasquez! Look, Magtok's calling in again! I doubt he's asking for a second date, though. The call's probably way more important than that.

[UncleWolf]

Phone

Vasquez picks up the call on her commlink. "This better be damned important Magtok." She says with obvious annoyance and stress.

[Lord Magtok]

Phone

Magtok rolls his eyes.

Duh it's important. The Empire is weaker than it's been since forever. There's also a whole front holding off aliens and stuff. Everyone can see that, up to and including the Association.

Magtok's voice turns noticeably darker.

Gordon's not wussing out tonight like he has before, Vas. Neither is the rest of AMEN. It may or may not be the truth, but the Emp looks ripe for the taking to everyone, and while you might be able to hold the line, there'll be heavy losses on each and every side if we can't figure something out. I'm willing to listen to reason, and I can talk to people who normally don't. So give me a motive, Jenette Goldstein. I want to help, but what do I get out of it?

[UncleWolf]

Phone

Vasquez stays silent as she listens. Then she smirks. "I thought that might have been why you called. And we know, Magtok. Only a fool wouldn't try to take advantage of the situation." Her smirk dies and a hard looks grows on her face.

"Let them come Magtok. Let them come and find out just how "weak" we are. We'll slaughter all they toss our way. Kill them all. No, I don't mean able to be resurrected, I mean permanently."

"I have no one restraining me any more, Magtok, so go ahead, let them come."

She sounds completely sure of herself, which means she's either insane, arrogant, or really does think she has a way to permakill people.

[Lord Magtok]

Phone

Vasquez, I really wanted to be the nice guy here. I wanted to help out, to keep things from getting as ugly as they will, but dammit, I'm not a charity.

Magtok sighs.

Look, you've got my number, right? Hold on to it. When things get really bad, call me back and we'll discuss terms. I'll be more than generous enough.

[UncleWolf]

Phone

"And just what would your terms be, Magtok? I'm not going to sign over any part of Inside to AMEN. Period." Vasquez says.

[Lord Magtok]

Phone

Magtok chuckles.

Not without a fight, you're not. As I said, call me back when you're ready to talk. I'm a reasonable man willing to take just about any reasonable offer you might make, but you've got to meet me halfway with the ol' olive branch.

[Murkus]

[Outside]

A complex illusion, essentially an astral projection that can talk as well as see and listen, approaches the base. Average height, unremarkable build, he carries himself with a well-honed swagger. The hollow man's currently wearing a simple white button-shirt and a pair of trousers. Well, and a pretty fine pair of black sunglasses.

Jack gives the guards a mellow, human smile. "Swell afternoon, ain't it gentlemen? Mind if I have a chat with whoever's in charge?"

[happyturtle]

Control Room / Comm Center

Sunny, continuing to follow the call of whatever needs fixing most urgently, arrives in the control room and pulls up a floor panel.

[UncleWolf]

Comm Center

Vasquez sees the video screen and curses. "Great, now we have to deal with Jack." She growls. "I hope you're proud of your distraction, Magtok." She says before shutting off the line.

Sunny will find a few broken electrical lines. Not vital, but certainly helpful when in good repair.

Gate

If it's an astral projection, it won't be able to come closer than 25ft to the gate. Dizzy gives him a scowl and flicks the safety off her rifle. "You will talk to me, or no one." Several of the heavier weapons train on Jack, but others watch the surrounding area.

[Murkus]

Gate

Twenty-five feet it is. But his voice carries well without the hollow man having to raise his voice, perhaps unsurprisingly.

"Alright, ma'am." Jack says amicably, shoving one hand in his pocket. A big, white smile plastered on his face. "Since I'm sure your leader's watching anyway," He gives a little two-finger salute to the security cameras before putting that hand in a pocket too, "I'm here on AMEN's behalf. I'd like to request the Empire's surrender."

[UncleWolf]

Comm Center

Sunny will find a ruptured power junction beneath the wiring. She probably won't know it, but it's to the Inside Shield Generator. At the moment, it's barely holding together.

She may see Edijar enter, armored up except for the helmet. He gives Vasquez a respectful nod. "My men are ready to go, and reserves have been drawn from the remaining troops."

"Good, take them and stay in the center of the compound, inside the buildings. I'll call when you're needed to reinforce."

She pauses when Dizzy explains the situation. "Tell him no."

Gate

Dizzy, having relayed the message, gives Jack a polite nod. Right before she raises her rifle and fires off a trio of shots at his head.

[happyturtle]

Comm Centre

Sunny notices that strong-scarred-protector is talking to robot-arm-woman. She could probably make out what they are saying, but it would require concentration, and she needs that elsewhere. She vaguely hopes that colourful-spirited-holds-me-when-I-cry is okay, but actually finding out would require concentration too. She knows that more people will be okay if she doesn't stop working.

[Murkus]

[Comm Center]

Jack ignores the bullets flying through his transparent head, instead turning to look at the security cameras with a rather sad frown. Vasquez can probably hear his voice as though he's right there beside her. "Where do you think this is going to end? You're not a government. You're an army. You couldn't rule this place if you tried. Are you simply trying to fight us as some sort of noble effort?" He pauses. "The ultimate goal for villains, commander whoever-you-are, is power. That doesn't mean we want genocide or war or the apocalypse. We want to rule this city. We could've helped you. Helped you rebuild." The hollow man looks at Dizzy and the other troops again. Sounding numb and neutral. "Now you are all going to die. AMEN... well, we can't die. You should know that by now. I have to wonder if your leader is mad or merely stupid."

The hollow man gives the assembled soldiers a nod. "Goodbye." And with that, his illusion flickers out of existence like a cut satellite connection.

Perhaps a few blocks away, in several directions, the hollow man begins setting up large-scale portals. His prior doors to the other Zones back in AMEN are replaced with entryways to the streets and alleys surrounding the Headquarters.