Contract #5: Marcus Bell: Enemy of the State!

[Elliott]

Tyros drops into the void. Every extraneous thought vanishes as he embraces the mana flowing around him and focuses on the enemy in front (free action: counterspelling).

Leaving Val prone behind cover, Tyros's hurdles the wall as he charges the enemy Mage. The cacophonous thunder of the gunship's engines fades to nothing as it is replaced by the beating of the big troll's heart. Thump thump thump, like a great bass drum pounds in Tyros' ears. As he approaches the surprised Legion hermetic, claymore raised high, the terrified man's racing heartbeat joins in harmony with Tyros' own as the power in their blood swells together (melee attack, sacrifice).

[GM Nick]

Melee Combat (Tyros)

[Swords (8) + AGI (5) + Reach (4) + Weapon Focus (2) = 8]
4 2 4 6 5 6 1 6 1 2 3 1 6 1 5 3 6 3 5
[Dodge (4) + REA (6) + Unarmed Combat (5) = 8]
6 2 5 6 1 6 1 3 5 6 3 4 4 5 6

The Legion hermetic falters under Tyros' advance and tucks into a dive, just quickly enough that the claymore shaves a sliver of metallic substance off of his helmet.

[John]

Max recovers from his dodge away from the gunfire from the ship and whips the new shotgun up in a graceful swing, bringing it to bear on the first rifleman to pile out of the ship.

(( Rifleman A, obviously. First shot BF. ))

[Elliott]

((I'm calling shinanigans on this whole ultrasound sees through everything concept. Ultrasound would not be able to see through all the smoke and snow in any meaningful way.))

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Max)

[Shotguns (8) + AGI (10) + Smartlink (2) = 7]
3 5 2 4 1 2 5 3 4 3 6 1 6 5 2 3 3 5 1 6
[REA (7) + Good Cover (4) = 2]
3 2 2 4 1 4 1 6 2 5 3

Damage Resistance (LRA)

[BOD (6) + Armor (14) + AP (-4) = 10]
1 4 5 5 6 6 5 5 6 5 4 1 3 6 4 6

{{ 4P DAMAGE! }}

Max's augmented reflexes are superior to the Rifleman's. The elf gets the draw on the Legion soldier and hits him with a burst to the torso before the man can take cover.

[GM Nick]

(( Ultrasonic waves are not affected by snow or rain, they actually make ultrasonic snow-depth sensors. ))

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Max)

[Shotguns (8) + AGI (10) + Smartlink (2) = 6]
5 3 4 6 6 3 1 6 3 3 1 1 4 6 1 5 2 1 1 3
[REA (7) + Good Cover (4) + WM (-1) = 4]
6 3 6 4 2 3 1 6 6 1

Damage Resistance (LRA)

[BOD (6) + Armor (14) + AP (-4) + WM (-1) = 4]
4 5 2 5 4 3 1 1 2 2 5 1 6 3 4

{{ 5P DAMAGE! }}

Max discharges the shotgun again, scoring another hit directly to the Rifleman's torso.

[Elliott]

((Yes, the sensor measures the thickness of snow, but it can't show you what's on the other side! Anyway, I'll solve the issue before the next run by creating, if it doesn't already exist, an invisibility spell that also hides from ultrasonic detection.))

[John]

(( Why bother? You already never have any enemy attention turned toward you during combat. ))

[GM Nick]

(( Sinjin is delaying action. ))

The wounded Rifleman opens suppressive fire on Max's position.

(( Val's up. ))

[GM Nick]

Decryption (6) Test (Val)

[Decrypt (6) + Electronic Warfare (6) + Hot Sim (2) = 8]
5 3 5 6 5 6 3 5 4 5 1 1 1 5

The rotating ciphers transform into alpha-numerals, hanging a ghostly access ID above the pilot's avatar.

[Stephen]

No sooner does Stat1C5hade glimpse the pilot's access ID than he begins spoofing the creation of a backdoor account for Doc. The seconds tick by with agonizing sluggishness as Val goes about his work.

[GM Nick]

Spoof Command (Val)

[Hacking (6 ) + Spoof (6 ) + Hotsim (2) = 5]
6 5 6 3 2 4 3 3 6 1 6 3 1 3
[Pilot (5) + Firewall (6 ) = 2]
1 1 6 4 2 6 3 2 1 1 1

Stat1C shimmers and disperses, melting out into the ether like molten binary. The image of his persona reforms as a perfect doppelganger of the pilot's. He stretches forward a hand and materializes a glowing orb, commanding the gunship's firmware to register a new account--the details of which he shoots to Doc in a hastily created AR instant message.

[GM Nick]

Sinjin moves to intercept the advancing physad, driving forward with an angry windmill attack.

Melee Combat (Sinjin)

[Savate (8) + AGI (5) = 7]
3 2 5 5 5 3 5 6 4 4 3 6 6
[Unarmed Combat (6) + AGI (7) = 5]
5 3 4 3 6 1 4 4 6 5 5 3 1

Damage Resistance (PhysAd)

[BOD (6) + Armor (7) = 5]
6 5 6 3 4 2 2 6 3 4 5 2 4

{{ 7P DAMAGE! }}

Sinjin's fist slams into the side of the adept's helmet, savagely twisting the soldier's head and covering the roof in a mixture of broken plastic and blood.

[GM Nick]

The second Rifleman moves to a kneel, squeezing off two blinding blasts from an Ares Redline.

Ranged Combat (LRB)

[Exotic Weapons (6) + AGI (6) + Smartlink (2) = 2]
4 3 4 4 6 1 4 5 4 1 3 1 2 3
[REA (8) + Good Cover (4) = 6]
2 5 6 4 4 5 5 3 4 5 6 1

A brilliant finger of energy crackles and incinerates the air, melting a line of snow in a radius along its trajectory. A smoking channel of deformed steel marks the place where it lands, a mere meter from Doc's cover.

Ranged Combat (LRB)

[Exotic Weapons (6) + AGI (6) + Smartlink (2) = 6]
3 6 1 5 5 5 1 5 1 2 6 1 2 3
[REA (8) + Good cover (4) = 6]
1 2 6 2 6 5 6 1 3 5 2 6

The second beam comes as Doc is standing to change positions. It grazes the intricate fibers of the Phalanx battle-suit, melting several centimeters together like hot nylon.

[Drew Buddy]

An icon flashes in the corner of Doc's vision.

Frag me, he got it!

He casts an almost pitying glance at the attacking Legion grunt before ducking prone behind his cover.

Hope to hell this works, he thinks before grabbing the AR icon. Reality disappears into a pinprick of light that fades from his sight. Adams, now a simulacrum of the pilot, plugs the icon into the waiting receptacle of the virtual flight instrument panel and jumps in.

[GM Nick]

The autocannons resume their barrage on the roof-top.

Ranged Combat (Autocannon A)

[Targeting (6) + Pilot (5) + Blind Fire (-6) = 2]
4 4 5 5 3
[REA (7) = 4]
2 6 3 5 4 5 5

Ranged Combat (Autocannon A)

[Targeting (6) + Pilot (5) + Blind Fire (-6) = 3]
5 1 3 6 6
[REA (7) = 3]
1 1 6 5 4 5 3

Tracers tear through the wall of smoke, strafing the area where Sinjin lurks. The adept ducks and dives, narrowly avoiding the flak.

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Autocannon B)

[Targeting (6) + Pilot (5) = 2]
2 4 1 3 2 6 5 3 4 4 2
[REA (8) = 3]
1 2 4 2 6 4 6 6

Ranged Combat (Autocannon B)

[Targeting (6) + Pilot (5) = 1]
4 5 2 3 1 2 2 1 2 3 1
[REA (8) = 5]
6 5 3 2 5 6 6 2

Doc stays low as a flare of munitions detonate above his head.

[GM Nick]

A Legion heavy pounds into view, hefting an AM-CMDT and opening fire on Max's position.

Ranged Combat (Heavy)

[Shotguns (7) + AGI (6) + Smartlink (2) = 4]
4 5 1 3 2 3 3 3 6 3 6 4 3 4 6
[REA (9) + Good Cover (4) = 6]
6 6 5 6 3 1 1 4 6 2 5 3 3

Ranged Combat (Heavy)

[Shotguns (7) + AGI (6) + Smartlink (2) + FFC (-2) = 5]
6 1 2 6 2 6 2 4 2 3 5 4 5
[REA (9) + Good Cover (4) = 5]
1 5 6 3 1 5 6 3 5 2 1 4 1

Max spins to avoid the first burst of automatic shotgun fire, flailing as the second catches his shoulder-pad, but fails to injure him.

[GM Nick]

(( Legion hermetic is on full defense. ))

[GM Nick]

Melee Combat (Tyros)

[Blades (8) + AGI (5) + Weapon Focus (2) + Reach (4) = 2]
4 4 6 3 1 1 2 4 3 4 3 2 2 2 3 2 5 3 1
[Dodge (4) + AGI (6) + Unarmed Combat (5) = 4]
4 3 6 2 1 2 2 5 3 5 4 1 4 3 5

Tyros swings the claymore back, hoping to catch the hermetic off-balance. The attack is too slow--the enemy mage slips underneath the massive blade.

[GM Nick]

The gunship rolls, positioning it's auxiliary thrusters to strategically blow away the plume of smoke obscuring the fire-fight.

[GM Nick]

[ Max = 48 ]
[ Sinjin = 48 ]

[ Val = 44 ]
[ Legion Adept = 44 ]
[ Legion Rifleman B = 44 ]
[ Doc = 42 ]
[ Autocannon A = 41 ]
[ Autocannon B = 41 ]

[ Legion Hermetic = 33 ]
[ Tyros = 30 ]
[ Gunship Primary = 27 ]

[John]

Max pops up from cover and spins away from the fire of the heavy and the suppressing fire of the wounded rifleman, and rests his crosshairs on the heavy. Combat shotgun versus combat shotgun. Keeping low, Max fires off his customary twofer of munitions loads at his adversary.

(( BF, then SA ))

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Max)

[Shotguns (8) + AGI (10) + Smartlink (2 ) + FFC (-2) = 6]
1 4 2 1 5 6 4 5 4 6 3 2 6 1 1 4 4 5
[REA (7) + Good Cover (4) = 3]
4 2 1 3 6 4 3 6 4 6 1

Damage Resistance (Heavy)

[BOD (6) + Armor (14) + AP (-4) = 0]
2 4 2 2 1 4 2 4 3 2 3 3 4 4 3 4

{{ 12P DAMAGE! }}

Max's burst explodes out the back of the Legion heavy's helmet, sending an assortment of armored material and gray matter into empty space beyond the perimeter of the roof.

[John]

(( God! Look at that fraggin' DR roll! I hope I never roll one like that!! ))

Max almost has the time to register his surprise at the sudden explosion of brain and gore at the other end of the new shotgun, but the programming of his body is too well tuned. The shotgun swings back to the first rifleman, whose suppressing fire has relented and opened the door to a return volley of lead.

[GM Nick]

Ranged Combat (Max)

[Shotguns (8) + AGI (10) + Smartlink (2) + FFC (-2) + Multiple Targets (-2) = 5]
2 5 2 3 4 6 6 3 1 5 2 3 4 3 5 4
[REA (7) + Good Cover (4) + WM (-3) = 2]
1 2 6 3 1 1 3 6

Damage Resistance (LRA)

[BOD (6) + Armor (14) + WM (-3) + AP (-4) = 7]
6 1 6 4 1 1 5 6 4 6 6 5 3

{{ 3P DAMAGE! }}

Max's second shot penetrates the Legion Rifleman's breast plate, sending the man stumbling back and screaming over the edge.

[Conway]

Sinjin continues a rushing attack, pushing past Legions stunned brawler without looking back. His eyes are set on the enemy hermetic, knowing full well what kind of injury the mage is capable of. Not to mention the healing he could provide to his comrades. As he approaches the Awakened, who is locked in melee with the invisible Tyros like a shadowboxer, Sinjin rolls low and wide, springing up to upper-cut the enemy mage in the stomach.

[GM Nick]

Melee Combat (Sinjin)

[Savate (8) + AGI (5) + Friends in Melee (1) = 9]
2 2 5 5 5 5 5 3 1 5 3 6 5 6
[Unarmed Combat (5) + AGI (6) = 3]
5 5 4 1 4 4 2 4 1 1 6

Damage Resistance (Hermetic)

[BOD (6) + Armor (7) = 5]
3 6 3 6 4 5 4 1 4 4 6 2 5

{{ 11P DAMAGE! }}

Sinjin's uppercut hits like an excavator, knocking the hermetic a full two meters off of his feet and shattering all of his ribs. The enemy mage is critically wounded.

[Stephen]

Having cleared the way for Doc to take control of the aircraft, Stat1C5hade eyes the pilot's persona. It could complicate things for Doc if he had to wrestle against this pilot, especially one with security-level node clearance. The 5hade places his hands on each side of the avatar's helmet, and an inky black substance somewhere between smoke and liquid creeps from his open palms to slowly engulf the avatar's head.

(( Blackout. ))

[GM Nick]

Matrix Combat (Val)

[Cybercombat (6) + Blackout (6) = 5]
2 6 2 1 6 5 4 5 2 4 4 6
[Pilot (5) + Response (5) = 3]
5 5 4 2 3 2 1 6 1 2

Damage Resistance (Pilot)

[Willpower (4) + Biofeedback Filter (2) = 3]
2 4 5 4 5 6

{{ 5S DAMAGE! }}

Val's blackout program shifts into a spiky ball of tar-like consistency, throbbing within the persona.

[GM Nick]

The wounded adept backpedals and aims a quick roundhouse at the preoccupied Sinjin.

Melee Combat (Adept)

[Unarmed Combat (6) + AGI (7) + Friends in Melee (1) + WM (-2) = 6]
3 5 4 5 1 5 5 3 5 6 3 1
[Savate (8) + AGI (5) = 8]
6 5 3 1 6 2 3 5 5 2 6 5 5

Sinjin senses the incoming attack and lifts his arm, wrapping it around the enemy adept's leg and swinging the man out of harm's way.

[GM Nick]

"Geek the mage!"

The Rifleman turns his attention to Tyros and settles the Redline in a firing position.

Ranged Combat (LRB)

[Exotic Weapons (6) + AGI (6) + Smartlink (2) + FFC (-2) = 2]
5 4 1 3 1 5 3 2 4 2 1 4
[REA (3) + Deflection (4) = 2]
1 5 4 4 1 6 3

The first burst of white-hot light singes the collar of Tyros' battle-suit.

Ranged Combat (LRB)

[Exotic Weapons (6) + AGI (6) + Smartlink (2) + FFC (-2) = 5]
5 1 4 3 6 5 5 6 4 1 1 4
[REA (3) + Deflection (4) = 3]
3 5 1 3 6 5 2

Ranged Combat (LRB)

[BOD (10) + Armor (8) = 6]
3 4 6 3 2 1 5 4 2 1 6 1 1 3 5 2 5 5

{{ 1P DAMAGE! }}

The second burst catches Tyros in the arm, but at such an angle that it results in a flesh wound.

[GM Nick]

Vehicle Test (4) (Doc)

[Pilot Aircraft (5) + REA (8) + Handling (-1) = 3]
6 4 2 4 1 3 2 3 1 2 6 5
[Pilot Aircraft (6) + REA (6) + Handling (-1) + WM (-1) = 5]
1 6 6 2 6 5 5 2 3 1

[Drew Buddy]

The gunship feels strange. Normally, the thrusters, the guns, the respiration of the life support system would feel like linked, living parts of his own body.

It's like the ship's half-paralyzed and drunk.

The pilot fights against Adams' commands, as the two puppeteers struggle to make the aircraft do their bidding.