[NEXUS] WATCHTOWER 17: Through Cloud, Shadow, Earth, and Flesh.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Training Grounds

Krystal nods a little. Okay, point. But, you can't just train all the time. Wouldn't that get boring?

[Devixer]

Traing Grounds

"I don't see how I can't keep training. Nobody's tried to stop me," Boris says, exchanging the magazine in his pistol with another loaded with subsonic rounds.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Training Grounds

Poor choice of wording, Krystal.

What I meant was...don't you have other stuff you want to do? I guess I just have trouble understanding how somebody could spend pretty much every waking moment training.

[Devixer]

Training Grounds

"This is fine for me," Boris says, attaching a suppressor to his pistol and taking the safety off. "Besides, what would you have me doing instead?"

[KerfuffleMach2]

Training Grounds

Krystal shrugs. I don't know. Whatever you want. I just can't believe this is all you want to do.

[Terumitsu]

[Infirmery]

Where else, aside from someone's medicine cabinet, would one expect to find painkillers? Generally it was looked down upon if one was caught raiding the latter and it was typically free from the former so the choice was obvious.

Still, it was probably due to how odd the headache felt compared to ones previous that made this wing of the base take so long to locate for a certain muse in question. It wasn't even pain half the time although there was a definite pressure which was almost as bad. If she had to describe it, it was like having wires threaded through her braincase until it was a heavy, buzzing network of discomfort.

In any case, Cutter may have a new visitor to look after seeing how she's apparently doing the best she can to not simply crush her head between her own hands as she walked in.

[Earl of Purple]

To Ilpholin's Room

Blake will follow Decker, gripping her hand quite tightly and gazing around in wonder at all that he sees.

[happyturtle]

To Ilpholin's Room

Decker reaches Ilpholin's room and tries to quietly open the doorknob. Heads Darcy left it unlocked, tails it's locked:

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Darcy gets Good Girlfriend points for remembering to lock the door!

"Hey Blake, are you any good at lock picking?" Decker whispers.

[Earl of Purple]

To Ilpholin's Room

Blake carefully looks around before positioning himself to block view from as many angles as possible. Then a blade made of solid red light slowly emerges from one of his wrists. It's not a very long blade; only about thirty centimetres long. "Unless this counts, no."

[happyturtle]

To Ilpholin's Room

"Try it," Decker says.

[Earl of Purple]

Outside Ilpholin's Room

Blake carefully lines his wrist up with the lock and tries to cut through the bolt. If necessary, he'll extend the blade to its full length of sixty centimetres. I keep on using the wrong gender pronouns.

[Ashen Lilies]

[Another Time - Airship Hanger]

Bright lights are coming from the from the airship hanger! Bright lights. And vibrations! Anyone with the capability to detect magic will be able to tell that there are some serious shenanigans going down over there, if the bright lights and such weren't clue enough.

[UncleWolf]

Infirmary

The person rummaging through the medicine cabinets will hear a polite, yet disapproving, cough come from behind her. "May I help you?" Cutter asks, leaning against the doorway and raising an eyebrow.

[Reinholdt]

Outside Ilpholin's Room

I'll presume the blade's capable of cutting bolts or he wouldn't have suggested it.

But I don't really know its capabilities. My only question is... how loud is it while doing so?

[Darkcomet]

[Meeting Room]

Have a log. Pruned of OOC, characters correspond to players, etc.

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13:05 Shadowcaller "Okay... disregarding the whole Ilpohlin issue for the moment, Magtok's activities on the wall seem to suggested he's trying to build up AMEN's reputation again. I believe he might feel embarrassed over the whole Ilpholin issue." She los over at KR. "Of course, I don't know Magtok very well."
13:07 Shadowcaller *looks
13:08 DC "He's throwing a tantrum because I had a clone shot for entering a warzone when AMEN was attacking and subsequently placed a bounty on AMENites. Apparently this translates into a bounty on his head specifically even though I specified evidence was required to take Magtoks. Regardless of whether or not you agree with me, conflict is inevitable at this point."
13:09 Morty "Yes, Magtok's going to push AMEN to attack us. About time, really. I'm /really/ tired of all this political bull****. Now it's even more important to launch a pre-emptive strike while we're on the advantage."
13:10 KrisOnATablet KR shrugs. "Do any of us? You can predict his behavior sometimes, but you can never really tell what's going on in there. Honestly, I'm surprised he's taken such a strong stance against us. Provoking us like this seems unusually bold for him. He's always seemed more reactionary when it comes to fighting."
13:10 Shadowcaller "I did get that impression as well."
13:11 Shadowcaller "Perhaps heäs trying to prove something to the rest of AMEN?"
13:11 Shadowcaller *he's
13:11 Morty "It's really refreshing to see him cut out this whiny victim-playing".
13:12 Shadowcaller "If so, maybe AMEN is not united under him as Magtok makes it out to be."
13:13 DC "Likely. I doubt everyone there believes him unconditionally. Could try to amplify that, but I don't want to touch /those/ minds..."
13:13 Shadowcaller "After all, Ilpholin must have left a lot of confusion and old loyalties behind."
13:14 KrisOnATablet "If he's really asking for us to come ruin him, I suppose we should oblige." Says KR, seeming slightly resigned. "It's not exactly going to be straightforward, though."
13:15 Morty "It's not. Mr Squiggles' hack should give as an edge though, as should the distraction from Riverside and the leadership squabble. I was thinking we could ask HALO to provide a distraction in Riverside."
13:15 KrisOnATablet KR taps her foot against the table leg a little.
13:16 KrisOnATablet "That's.... actually a good plan. I didn't think about involving HALO."
13:16 KrisOnATablet "They have a representative here on the base, don't they?"
13:17 Shadowcaller "HALO might be a good idea, Tobias did offer sympathies to Magtok's plight at the council however. But it might have just been for show."
13:17 Shadowcaller "However, I think we must raise the question at some point. Have we considered the possibility that this is a trap?"
13:18 Morty "I doubt it is."
13:19 KrisOnATablet "Given purple text's talk of slaughtering innocents and such, I would hope he's changed his mind." Says KR, ruling her eyes.
13:19 KrisOnATablet *rolling
13:19 DC "Does it matter? We can't just sit back and do nothing about the problem, and we're not getting any new agents any time soon, I imagine. Not that I'd recommend trying that anyway, with the last two times we tried that..." DC sighs. "Regardless, we need a plan to attack the main base."
13:20 Morty "We do. I think the best method would be to try to get inside and then plant some explosives there."
13:21 KrisOnATablet "He might have felt sympathetic to Magtok's plight in particular, but the rest of AMEN are pretty clearly trash." KR neglects to mention that she herself sent Magtok help, though he's revealed that on the Wall already.
13:21 Morty "Attacking from the outside probably won't work."
13:21 DC "Unless we blow up the mountain."
13:22 Shadowcaller "It does sound like Magtok is still excepting sympathies on the wall."
13:22 Shadowcaller *expecting
13:22 KrisOnATablet "Given that the thing in the walls is basically omniscient inside the base, attacking from the inside might not work as well."
13:23 Morty "Ilpholin mentioned Magtok having some device to fight it off."
13:24 DC "The description she gave made it sound like I might be able to duplicate the effect with a modified power generator."
13:26 DC "I do not know if I will be able to get a strong enough effect out of a portable unit, however..."
13:26 KrisOnATablet "We can certainly try it. Though we should have a backup plan, in case neutralizing the thing in the walls fails. Assuming we're still in a position to keep fighting after, that is ."
13:26 Morty "That damned thing does make it a lot more complicated."
13:27 Morty "Which is why should try to get in there, plant something strong, and get out. Then watch the fireworks."
13:27 DC DC suddenly gets that 'oh, /no/' look. "...hrm."
13:29 Shadowcaller Cessie gives DC a look. "Did you just remember something DC?"
13:31 DC "We have one remaining example of the technology I based all my current power generators on. Vastly higher-capacity. My own estimates have suggested it would qualify as a planetary-scale destruction event if overloaded."
13:33 DC "I could conceivably apply some of the modifications I made for the EI technology to it to allow us to neutralize that creature. The downside of the plan being the part where it is, again, a planet buster."
13:34 Shadowcaller "That sounds taking a pretty big risk considering that's the kind of things we are supposed to prevent."
13:35 DC "I could try to link it to an artifact in my possession to shunt any potential overloads into an extradimensional space."
15:10 Morty "So what you're saying is, we can use that generator to keep their thing in the walls at bay?"
15:11 Shadowcaller "I rather not go to war with equipment we aren't even sure will work."
15:12 DC "I've used the generator before and I don't believe my technology has let anyone here down /before/. Don't treat me like I'm incompetent."
15:13 DC "Moreover, I intend to /kill/ that thing."
15:13 Shadowcaller "I'm not, I'm just saying I could use some guarantees here DC: Are you certain this will work?"
15:13 KrisOnAStick "I can think of a few times your technology has failed with some pretty catastrophic results." Says KR sardonically. "I don't think she meant to imply that you're incompetent, it's just good to have a little caution."
15:15 Morty "There's little room for failure when dealing with an infantile eldrith abomination."
15:15 DC "I have accounted for the possibility of explosion via extradimensional shunt. It'll work."
15:16 Morty "So how will it work, exactly?"
15:18 Shadowcaller "Okay, if you're willing to risk not only your own life, but others on that this device works I'm inclined to trust you DC."
15:18 DC "I don't think you want the technical details. I've made a career out of mastering power generation and directed energy weapons. A high-power EM field is nothing."
15:22 Morty "Let's just hope the thing doesn't overpower it, then."
15:26 Morty "What do we do once we're inside and the thing in the walls is kept away by the field?"
15:28 DC "I can /also/ throw the base into chaos with mental attacks. Won't work on the stronger-willed, but it ought to disrupt things nonetheless. Beyond that, I was leaning towards 'bring explosives and start planting bombs'. Also 'kill everyone who tries to stop us'. That's..."
15:29 DC "More or less how most of our attack plans have worked before."
15:31 Morty "That sounds like a solid enough plan for me."
15:32 Morty "Anything more complicated would not survive contact with AMENites."
15:33 Shadowcaller "So who is going to attack the base exactly? I don't think I could join the charge."
15:34 KrisOnAStick "I'd volunteer for it, unless you think I could be more useful elsewhere."
15:35 Morty "I'm going to go."
15:35 DC "I'll be going, obviously-I have to handle the EM field generator."
15:36 Shadowcaller "I'll guess I defend the base in case they or someone else decides to counterattack then."
15:36 Morty "So... the three of us on the frontline? We could put a member or two on standby in case things get rough."
15:37 Shadowcaller "'Standby'?"
15:37 Morty "You know, ready to show up as reinforcements."
15:38 Shadowcaller "I don't claim to know a lot about strategy but wouldn't it be better to have everyone attack at once instead?"
15:38 KrisOnAStick "If DC and Wenomir go in first, I could remain in the airship ready to reinforce or defend against a possible counterattack. Assuming we're committing our air power to this."
15:40 DC "Presumably we ought to bring more than two people, but then, it's hardly just the four of us here anyway."
15:40 Morty "Not really, Cessie. If everyone attacks at once and the enemy gains the upper hand, they're all right there, outmaeuvered. If someone is on standby, they can attack from a new direction. And it seems like a good idea, KR."
15:42 Shadowcaller "Fair enough, it just sounded you were going to attack the base with just two people."
15:42 Shadowcaller "Seeing how few our numbers usually are."
15:47 Morty "I suppose just me and DC might not be enough..."
15:51 Morty "Maybe we should get there by airship, then me, DC and KR go in, and a member or two stay behind on the airship just in case."
15:51 Morty "I think we're going to need our strongest inside the AMEN base."
15:53 KrisOnAStick "I think I may be able to co-ordinate better if I'm one of those remaining on the airship."
15:54 DC "I would offer to fill that role myself, but again, I need to manage that device."
15:54 Morty "Fair enough. We need a third member to go in with us, then."
15:56 Shadowcaller "Keep in mind that all AMEN members will join in the defense."
15:56 Morty "I wouldn't be so sure of that..."
15:57 Shadowcaller "At least the majority of them considering we're planning to wipe their base off the face of the nexus."
15:57 Morty "True."
15:58 Morty "Our hope is that they're distracted by their leadership dispute and their Riverside holdings."
15:58 Morty "Especially if we ask HALO to distract them there."
15:58 Shadowcaller "I wouldn't trust hope too much."
16:05 Morty "As far as hopes go, it's well-founded."

[Morty]

[Meeting Room]

"We have a plan, then," Wenomir says. "I'll go contact HALO. One of you find the other member or members who'll be joining us."

[Devixer]

Training Grounds

"Feel free to not believe it then," Boris says, pointing his pistol downrange and firing at a target. The subsonic rounds and suppressor make the firearm fairly quiet - not totally silent, but enough to reasonably use it in a covert mission.

[KerfuffleMach2]

Training Grounds

Krystal sighs. Obviously, she wasn't going to get him to do anything else. Oh well. At least she tried.

She turns and wipes her face again before heading to a different target. She starts stretching out her arms and hands. She needed to get a little of her own target practice in, anyways.

[FireFox]

Meeting Room

Watchtower gets a phone call! It's from HALO. What a coincidence.

[Morty]

[Meeting Room]

"...looks like HALO is contacting us, instead," Wenomir says. "I'll get it." He picks up the phone.

[FireFox]

[Meeting Room]

Hello? I just wanted to make sure you got profiles of the AMEN members from Ilpholin. Do you have pictures of the one called "Greg"?

[Terumitsu]

[Infirmary]

A rather amusing coincidence that someone was rummaging through medicine cabinets while the muse had been idly poking fun at the idea when she felt coherent enough to manage internal natter between the throbs. All Ghoul had done so far was to walk into the infirmary although the somewhat disgruntled greeting was about on par for what she expected. She wouldn't particularly feel enthused about a task where the prime reason people come calling is to just get patched up from whatever latest ills they had suffered.

In any case, though, she had a question that needed a response. "First, what is the paperwork I need to go through if I'm looking at transfusions? Actually, no, that's second. First thing is what is the strongest thing you can give me that doesn't require a prescription for headaches?" she said, shutting her left eye in a mild wince from a particularly notable throb.

[Earl of Purple]

Ilpholin's Room

Blake got it from Murkus, a long time ago, and uses it rarely. I think it's basically a slightly more solid laser blade, and therefore ridiculously sharp, but Blake's never used it to open a door before and the lock might have been magically reinforced. He suggested it because it might work.

As for how loud it is, I'm not certain, but not very I would assume- there's nothing falling, so it's just the sound of something very sharp cutting through metal.

[Morty]

[Meeting Room]

Hello? I just wanted to make sure you got profiles of the AMEN members from Ilpholin. Do you have pictures of the one called "Greg"?

"Hmm... I'm not sure at this point. There's a lot of materials here. Why do you ask?" Wenomir responds.

[FireFox]

[Meeting Room]

He's working for me. Tobias pauses to let that sink in. I'd appreciate it if you could retrieve his body while you're in there. Or completely destroy it, at least.

[Morty]

[Meeting Room]

Wenomir rubs his forehead. Is half of AMEN double agents?

"Okay, will do. And we'd appreciate it if you could hit their Riverside holding while we bust into the volcano base. Keep them occupied on two fronts."

[FireFox]

[Meeting Room]

Aren't you supposed to have some super magic observatory or something? I already have three teams there. Tobias certainly sounds like he's enjoying stealing a march on his allies. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like many people are home. The bastards, most likely, will only fight you where they have the most defenses. But the battle's still young. We'll do our part.

Was there anything else you wanted?

[Morty]

[Meeting Room]

"Yes, well, if that means we force them to choose between their two bases, I'm fine with it. They're about to find out what it's like to try holding two positions with not enough people," Wenomir says. If he's disappointed that HALO is one step ahead of them, it doesn't enter his tone. "Either way, good luck. We'll be moving out immediately."

[FireFox]

[Meeting Room]

You too. Oh, and give Ilpholin my compliments. Unless it's a trap and AMEN slaughters you all. That would send the wrong message, wouldn't you say? With that, he hangs up.

[Reinholdt]

Note to self, make an evil organization filled entirely with double agents who aren't really evil but play up being evil to each other as they try to manipulate the organization and each other.

Ilpholin's Room

Blake got it from Murkus, a long time ago, and uses it rarely. I think it's basically a slightly more solid laser blade, and therefore ridiculously sharp, but Blake's never used it to open a door before and the lock might have been magically reinforced. He suggested it because it might work.

As for how loud it is, I'm not certain, but not very I would assume- there's nothing falling, so it's just the sound of something very sharp cutting through metal.

Ilpholin's Room

Ok, lock's cut and hardly a sound was made. I guess the bolt would even stay in the lock as they open it, so there's no falling pieces.

Which means there's two naked, still sleeping Ilpholins on the bed! Lucky them. Clothes are scattered all over the place at random.