Mobile Section 34

[Tengu_temp]

The amount of magic stored in the device is finite - you can break through the field with enough force.

[Drascin]

(Well, not as detailed as would be pleasant, but good news. Let's hope it doesn't delay us too much)

After a cursory analysis, Taltha opens her mouth again, looking at the others.

"I don't seem to remember this particular model, but what is certain is that the field consumes a high amount of energy, of which the device, judging by its make, most likely has a finite amount. The application of enough force should be able to make it break"

With that, she starts preparing to help the bombardment with a Harpoon Rain of her own when the others start.

[Terraoblivion]

As she prepared to fire Yoichi up, Mireio thought for a bit. "Concentrated force or will we wear it down over time? Not that concentrating will not be a good idea anyway as we have to get through quickly."

As she did that she prepared to join the general attack with a spreadfire once everyone was ready to blast through the field.

[Dragoon]

"And would it be easier for us if all of us blast at it, or since a few of us are better at close range, do that as well?" Lucius looks at Bohrer, who responds, "I prefer close range, master." He nods and waits for a response from those more knowledgable.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Tara just goes with what has worked in the past and wallops the field with repeated strikes

(Autofire, Power Attack 5 until it falls over. Or dissipates. Or explodes.)

[Tengu_temp]

(6d20)[9][10][3][11][6][3](42)

(6d20)[3][13][6][14][20][12](68)

Tara's strike against the field results in a zapping sound and, after a bit of effort, the small device on the ground overheating and emiting smoke! The field fades out and the machine explodes in the same time... although it wasn't physically touched in any way.

Below, one of the city's sewers awaits you - nothing out of ordinary, a sewage canal in the middle and paved walkways on the sides. And it all smells rather nasty. The sewer goes east and west, but just a couple of steps to the east it also splits to the north - and in that northern corridor another field can be seen, emitted by a similar metal ball on the ground behind it. The barrier is wide enough to block the whole corridor.

[Terraoblivion]

"It might just be a red herring to throw us off, but it is a hint that she might have gone north. Mission control does the plans of the sewer say anything about whether that is realistic or not?"

While waiting for mission control to reply Mireio copied what Tara had done and attacke the forcefield, pounding away at it using her spreadfire attack.

(Autofire, at +7 vs. toughness)

[Nerd-o-rama]

"We're not going to get anywhere if she's been dropping these things behind her the whole way," Tara observes. "If we angled our own forcefields to neutralize hers...no, wait, that's not how barrier spells work..."

Always in favor of multitasking, Tara continues hacking away at the next field while waiting for someone else to come up with a better idea.

[Tengu_temp]

(6d20)[2][11][13][13][10][19](68)

(6d20)[10][19][4][16][9][13](71)

(6d20)[6][14][17][13][11][2](63)

The combined attacks make short work of this force field too - it's not very strong... and the device emitting it explodes once again for some reason, too.

"According to the map, the northern section does not connect with either the western nor the eastern one - there is only one passage to it from your location. The other two connect several times, further from where you are. Hmm... the northern part divides much less often than the others, too."
Albin sounds as if he was unsure what to think of that. Melina keeps quite for some time now, for some reason.

[Terraoblivion]

Thinking over what to make of Albin's words, Mireio came to a decision after a couple of seconds. "The northern corridor sounds like the most likely candidate, but not the only one. We will split up to go look for her. Taltha you and Chen should obviously be together. Since you can turn yourself invisible, Lucius, i think that you are the best candidate for being alone. And that leaves me and Tara as a group. Unless anybody has any disagreement i suggest that me and Tara head north while Lucius goes east and Taltha and Chen take the western corridor. We will keeping constant contact on our location as we go along. If anybody see her tell the others and don't engage until at least three of us are together or in self-defense. Sounds good everyone?"

[Nerd-o-rama]

"Fine by me!" Tara says. "Let's go!"

[Tengu_temp]

(Remember to roll for notice when you start searching.)

[Drascin]

"Okay. Be prudent, everyone"

With that, Taltha separates a bit, waits for Chen to join, and together they head off to the western corridor.

(I'll leave my first Notice roll done; Tengu, please roll my subsequent Notices and such if needed, because I'll go to bed now - 18 hours awake straight are starting to make me drowsy. If there is battle, someone please take momentary control of Taltha)

Notice - (1d20+12)[30]

[Terraoblivion]

Mireio nodded at Tara's reply. "Let's" And with that she headed down the northern tunnel, on the look-out for anything that could indicate the location of the woman.

Notice - (1d20+6)[22]

[Nerd-o-rama]

Notice - (1d20)[7]

Tara looks around, noticing anything particularly loud, glowing, or exploding, as she and Mireio search the northern sector.

[Dragoon]

Lucius nods at the idea. "Vanish." He watches the two groups fly off, before head off on his own down east direction. Now's not the time worrying about the drawing idea you have. I can worry about that after we deal with this. Just a warning, I'm not sure if I can actually hide from her. But everyone be careful. He concentrates on watching what is ahead of him as he travels through the sewer, trying to ignore the smell.

"notice" - (1d20+13)[31]

[Artemician]

The sewers are dark and dank, with the rank smell of rotting food, grease, and really, really smelly excrement combining together to form a stronger whole like the old Mechanos in children's stories. Except instead of having a cooler attack, the smell was just really, really bad.

Holding her noise, Chen treads daintily through the murk, trying to think calming thoughts. To the extra-sensitive nose of a catgirl, the stench was not only boxing you hard on the nose, it was shooting you with brass knuckles fired from a gattling cannon. A rat skittered along the walls, and Chen almost shot it right out of the air in a jittery fit of nerves.

Shutting her eyes, Chen slowly recited the Litany of Not Panicking, the ancient rhyme first described in the Wayfarer's Guide. It helped, Chen felt her heart slowly calm down, going from hyper-palpitating jackhammer to a more manageable rotary pump motion. She slowly opened her eye-

And a big rat was doing a stupid little dance right in front of her. The grimy horrible claws, the half-broken teeth, the horrible matted fur-

With a scream of disgust, Chen vaporized the rat. It didn't even have the chance to scream.

Cursing, Chen tromped forward to follow her master, who had run far ahead. This was going to be an excellent day. She hoped that they'd find that stupid woman soon, because as soon as they did that they could get the heck out of this place.

[spoiler]Notice - (1d20+11)[23]

[Tengu_temp]

The search gives no results. As if that woman disappeared into thin air. Maybe she really did?

The ground forces secured the area in the meantime, and are keeping the area off-limits for civilians, waiting for the investigation team to arrive. All the robots have been taken care of.

[Drascin]

Taltha looks at Chen worriedly, knowing full well that this place was a rather hard trial for her, but refrains from saying anything, also knowing full well that, given her independent personality, she would most likely not appreciate it.

"Nothing around this area, or at least nothing that is plain to see" Taltha transmits through the communication channel instead. "Either she escaped or she has some sort of visual cloaking, but I would put a greater chance on 'escaped'. That woman didn't seem the type to install subterfuge functions in her device"

[Dragoon]

As well, here, I don't think she's here, unless she has the ability to hide as well. She probably got away while the big robot stalled us. He silently communicates to his teammates and the support staff as he continues to look around. I wonder how strict the commander is about us having to where our uniform back at base? Hoping that he could get away with wearing his robe, that way, he could easily carry his drawing pad around without everyone knowing about it.

[Terraoblivion]

"She doesn't seem to be here either. Seems like we lost her." The frustration was apparent in Mireio's mental voice as she spoke. They had screwed up their first mission. The warehouse was wrecked and the culprit got away. At least no one got hurt, but it was still far from a perfect outcome. "Are we needed for investigating the warehouse or will someone else handle that?"

[Tengu_temp]

"None of the sewer patrols met her either.". says Melina. "It seems we were too slow."

"Sorry to hear that, but... no, I will tell you when you are back. No, there is no need for you to stay in the area - if you are done there, you can return to the base. Your mission is complete." Albin sounds almost... happy?

[Terraoblivion]

Not even bothering to think about Albin's odd tone she replied briefly trying not to think too much about it. "Understood. We'll be there as soon as possible. Do we have time for a bath before debriefing?" The dejected annoyance was heavy in Mireio's voice as she turned to head back towards. Looking over her shoulder, smiling slightly trying to hide her low spirits. "Let's just get out of here, Tara. No point in staying and this place is rather nasty as it is. I look forward to a shower and a change of clothes when we get back." At least she wasn't alone down here to return in quiet and then having to face others, Tara was with her.

[Dragoon]

The smell had started to get to him, slightly, which the order to retreat brought a smile to his face that probably no one saw. Heading back now, we don't need to rush, correct? And, I will after everyone else, probably. What the sound of relief for, Albin? If not needing to rush, he was playing do a sketch of the group on the way back, hoping that flying won't ruin his ability to draw. As soon as he makes it out of the sewers, Lucius will drop Vanish and pull out his drawing pad and start drawing. Pinning Bohrer with his left arm as he draws and flies back.

"drawing teammates" - (1d20+6)[10] Plus whatever negative modifiers you believe necessary Tengu.

[Nerd-o-rama]

Tara takes a last look around and grunts, a disappointed look on her face, but follows Mireio out and up.

[Drascin]

"Understood"

Come on Chen, let's get out of this place, Taltha thinks through the mental link. They had finished for today. She tells herself she should be angry and dissapointed, and scared for all the havoc that woman could wreak because they failed to catch her, but the only thing she can truly feel is relief that they had finished for today. She is tired, and the aftermath of the continuous adrenaline burst she had been in for the last fifteen minutes starts asserting itself as soon as she lets her mind relax a tiny bit. Which, coupled with the horrible smell she had been resisting mostly through sheer not caring about it, but which she now feels in full force, is making her woozy and her head spin. Her flight route towards the exit is not a prodigy of straightness, making a couple zigzags along the way, but she manages to stay airborne and on route until the reach they hole and get up to the warehouse again.

[Artemician]

Chen, struggling to hold in her intestinal contents and just narrowly stopping herself from lining the entire sewer in even more semi-digested food puree, is nonetheless perceptive enough to note the fatigue in her master's gait and thought as they exit the sewer network.

"You should take a rest, Master. It's been a long while since we tried something like that," Chen says in the wry-but-actually-concerned tone that she so favours.

[Tengu_temp]

You leave the area and return to Section 34's building again. Nothing interrupts you on the way.

The first thing you notice upon arrival is that Onyx is still busy with her helicopter, although she stops when you appear in sight and waves to you.
"I've heard about how you did on your mission... and, umm, well done, everyone! The commander is waiting to give you a debriefing!"
And with these words, she heads towards the building's entrance. Luckily, accident-less this time.

Inside the main hall, Albin and Melina are talking about something, although they immediately stop and turn into your direction.
"Ah, you've returned! Great - we were really worried about how would everyone do on their first mission, but you performed greatly! Heh, I wonder if you can say the same about us... nevertheless, well done, everyone!"
"...Well done."
"It's a pity that woman got away, though, but..." Albin switches to telepathy. But maybe that's good after all. Something tells me that... an encounter between her and a small patrol of ground army's ordinary forces, or less than all of our forwards, would not end well...

"I am back."
You suddenly hear the words of captain Yota Lightly behind your backs!
"I see that everyone is here. Good. Let me give you a debriefing."
He looks around over everyone present with his typical, mouth-wide-open expression.
"I am positively surprised by the performance of our unit - while there were some minor communication and coordination problems, they did not stand in the way of fulfilling the mission objectives with great speed, even despite lack of preparation and the technical support not being fully operational yet. You have not managed to catch the culprit - yet it was not a part of your objectives. Your set objectives were the neutralize the danger and rescue the civilians from the endangered area - and they were met. Everyone - thank you for a job well done!"
He spreads his arms.
"AS A REWARD, THE LADIES ARE ALLOWED TO GIVE THEIR COMMANDER A HUG! HA HA HA HA HA!" His laugh is very creepy.

Everyone receives 2 power points, to spend now or later. Your hero points reset to 1, too.

Spoiler

Show

"You're back - and I could tell by smell, rather than sight."
"Cut it. I had to retreat through the sewers - because you told me to. Had to use two of your toys, too - good that these guys probably fell for the distraction."
"Well, yes, I'm sure you are aware how much more trouble would we have on top of what we have already if you started a huge brawl with the TSAB there, hmm?"
"Continue with this tone and I'll start a huge brawl here, right now."
"Alright, alright, my easily irritated friend. How many robots have you managed to retrieve?"
"Not a single one - and who cares! These tincans are complete crap in real combat! Can't you make something that will actually HELP us when that time comes?!"
"A perfect timing to ask this question. You see, seeing the footage of the intervention gave me a good idea... an idea your friend might not like very much, though."
"..."
"What's the matter? Are you hesitating?"
"Let's hear it."

[Drascin]

"You should take a rest, Master. It's been a long while since we tried something like that," Chen says in the wry-but-actually-concerned tone that she so favours.

Taltha can't help but to smile a tired smile.

"You're too kind. With this smell, you're probably worse than me right now, don't think I haven't noticed" she says through the link with a half-tired, half-playful tone, before they get out.

----

(Tengu posted while I wrote)

Taltha reaches the building together with the others, a bit behind due to fatigue. She accompanies them to the main hall without speaking unless prompted, until they reach there and engage in conversation with Albin and Melina.

"Yes, you actually did very well" she assures them, back to her usual soft (if tired) tone, in response to Albin's doubts. "I don't think this mission would have gone too well without your help" In fact, most of the people here did very good. It's obvious they had had training - and Chen was just naturally skilled at breaking things down. On the other hand, she had been nothing but a load. She blushes a bit and averts her face from the conversation, ashamed...

...and then the commander speaks.

The fatigue and shame thoroughly drowned by sheer being creeped the hell out, Taltha retreats a step unconsciously, to put some extra distance from the captain, dreading whether that was actually obligatory. Her confused and terrified look, which would seem more at home at a child's face than this huge (if cute) woman, would probably compel any audience to want to give her a hug.

[Terraoblivion]

Meeting Onyx and hearing the mechanic tell them what good a job they had done, actually did cheer Mireio up a bit. It might have been awkward and not very much, but the gesture seemed genuine. "Thanks, Onyx. I'm just glad that the civilians are safe."

The meeting with mission control did less for her mood. They had done well, but they talked about topics she didn't really want to think about. "You did well Albin, don't worry. You managed to find information we needed quickly and efficiently." Taking his cue she too switched to mental communication. "We let a dangerous criminal get away, however. Who knows what she and whoever she works with will do next. Had we gotten her we could at least have been able to prepare better. I am quite sure this is just the begin-"

Her conversation was cut short by the return of the commander. Quickly straightening herself into standing attention to greet him as he began the debriefing. Hearing the praise did a lot to relieve her worry that they would have disappointed the faith their superiors had in them, even if it did nothing to end her disappointment in herself. At least it seemed like no one else thought that they had failed in their duties.

This train of thoughts was firmly derailed when the commander burst out his last comment. What was wrong with the guy? Not just that he wanted the hug, but that he thought to say it out loud like that. Had he been dropped on his head as a child or what? "If that is all, sir, does that mean we are dismissed for now?" She hoped it. A long, warm shower would work wonders now. She was sweaty, tired and reeked from the time spent in the sewers. Some time relaxing with her paintings would be nice as well.