13th Early Spring 1002
Part 2!
Sota Tamayashi: Roger! You've heard the Commander, we carry on!Sota Tamayashi: 5 from Roll, +1 from Computers, -2 from Threat Level = 4
Tamayashi brings his Mecha up to a fire engine that can be operated by mecha-insertion.
Sota Tamayashi: Alright, let me get this thing started. This should be the power switch...? The whirrl of fusion power network getting engaged meant that he was right.
Sota Tamayashi: Hey, nice! Someone scan the buildings for the source of the fire, there must be some electrical network busted!Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: 2 from Roll, +3 from Crowd Control, -2 from Threat Level = 3
Carla Whiteforest: 1 from Roll, +1 from Crowd Control, -2 from Threat Level = 0
Final result: (1.5 =>) 1
The Mu sensors begin beeping again.
Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Multiple hostiles inbound!Thedros Palaikos: My rifle's busted, I will help Sota while you girls tackle the Mu!Carla Whiteforest: Alright, but I'm barely getting a lock from all this interference! When the two girls face the Mu, it is another swarm of fast, spindly Mu, some sort of a terrible mutated mixture of cockroach and hedgehog. Both Eva and Carla start blasting them, and while Eva barely stays on target, Carla sprays the nearby buildings, riddling them with holes. The aliens break through the fire barrages and attack Eva's mecha, gnawing and clawing at the exposed parts. She has to resort to a brutal melee involving punching and stomping to free herself as Carla, visibly anxious, tries to shoot down those on the ground.
It doesn't help much as Eva's mecha sensors soon begin to warn about armor and even structural damage by the time the last of the voracious pack is taken down.
VanZer995-005: 1/2 Hitpoints left!Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Verdammt!Thedros Palaikos: 3 from Roll, +3 from Sciences, -2 from Threat Level = 4
Sota Tamayashi: 3 from Roll, +3 from Engineering, -2 from Threat Level = 4
At least from the fire-fighting perspective, there's some moderate success.
Thedros Palaikos: There, I think, I think I've found the electrical distribution station that's the source of the fire. It's in this building! Thedros points with this mecha at a small square building away from the battle zone.
Sota Tamayashi: You think?Thedros Palaikos: I have checked on the energy charge mode, there's lots of power arcs there. Where else could it be? The building, however, whilst on fire, has its entry door.
Sota Tamayashi: Oh, hell, there's not much we can do! Sota levels his Mecha's rifle at the door and blasts it open, allowing fresh air in, causing a burst of flame to go upwards, but wisely both him and Thedros kept distance.
Sota then turned on the fire engine's hose, and thick, white powder began gushing inside the building, covering the electrical fire and equipment, extinguishing some flames.
Carla Whiteforest: 3 from Roll, +3 from Battling, -1 from Armored Behemoth, -2 from Threat Level = 3
Sota Tamayashi: 5 from Roll, +3 from Battling, -1 from Armored Behemoth, -2 from Threat Level = 5
Final result: 4
Maglev: Maglev crew here, we've receiving information that the local police's mecha unit has chased off a Behemoth alien towards you, Pilots! It has some sort of carapace and is barging right through flames, watch out!The readings of Mu particles spike up a moment later.
Carla Whiteforest: I will handle it, but someone ought to lend me a hand as both me and Eva suffered damage! Sota!Sota Tamayashi: I've put the fire engine on automatic, hang on! Before Sota can get to the battle zone, there it comes - hulking, ugly and roaring in pain and actually trailing some fire from bits of fur growing out of its back. A giant boar? A bloated horse? Whatever it is, thick carapace seems fused and cracking over its body as it rages towards Carla's mecha.
Carla Whiteforest: Eat shit!! Carla unloads a barrage of laser blasts at the horse-boar, but as thick blood bursts from the struck parts, it continues its stampede. Carla barely has time to avoid head-on collission, and still gets a glancing hit across her face-piece.
Sota Tamayashi: It's turning around! Sota yells and both he and Carla turn to face the horse-boar as it did a slow-down arc in the battle zone. It doesn't get to do any more damage as the duet unleashes its rifle blasts against it. It shrieks and breathes its last, crumbling to the ground, its grotesque side smouldering with laser burns.
As Carla calms down, something inside her cockpit short-circuits and a screen goes off, sparks and smoke rising from beneath it briefly.
She coughs a bit and waves the smoke away. She then taps away at the console, and the screen, but it remains black.
Carla Whiteforest: Oh no!Thedros Palaikos: You alright, Whiteforest?Carla Whiteforest: I'm fine, but my mecha isn't. Some internal circuitry got damaged and my computer console is off!VanZer995-002: Computer damage! Computers and Sciences will be penalized until fixed!Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: The engineering team back at the base will hate us after today.Carla Whiteforest: Yeah, and the worst part is, we're not done here yet.Sota in the meanwhile goes back to the fire engine. Seeing the building no longer spousing any flames and nearby circuits dead, he turns off the fire engine.
Sota Tamayashi: And least something here stopped burning.Goals:
1. Eliminate Mu Threat.
*Not Yet Complete
2. Secure Fusion Reactors #1, #2 and #4.
*Fusion Reactors Secured: none
3. Prevent damage to Fusion Reactors #3, #5 and #6.
*Fusion Reactor #3 status: N/A
*Fusion Reactor #5 status: INTACT!
*Fusion Reactor #6 status: DAMAGED!
Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: What's next? Maglev, do we have any requests from the emergency teams?Maglev: Affirmative, we've just received a request to help secure Reactor #4. It's north of your position. The local police force is busy elsewhere and firefighters want to begin work on the reactor, but there's still Mu readings in the area.Sota Tamayashi: We shall provide assistance! Come on, guys!Thedros Palaikos: Let's go!Sota Tamayashi: 6 from Roll, +1 from Crowd Control, -2 from Threat Level = 5
Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: 3 from Roll, +3 from Crowd Control, -2 from Threat Level = 4
Final result: (4.5 =>) 4
Thedros Palaikos: 2 from Roll, +2 from Engineering, -2 from Threat Level = 2
Carla Whiteforest: 3 from Roll, +3 from Engineering, -2 from Threat Level = 4
Final result: 3
Next ten minutes is spent on assisting the fire teams battling the flames and electric damage at Reactor #4. A small flock of Mu is dispatched by combined firepower of Eva and Sota while Thedros and Carla assist with the actual fire-fighting, rubble clearing and heavy lifting. That part doesn't go without problems, however, as too much weight on Thedros' mecha causes a snap damage at its spinal structure, and a warning on the status monitor regarding the functionality of servos and structural supports.
VanZer995-001: Servo damage! Engineering will be penalized until fixed!However, by the end of the ordeal, the Reactor is brought under control and engineering teams can begin work on restoring its functionality.
Thedros Palaikos: Man, I'm having so many flashing lights inside my cockpit it is like a party in here, but definitely not a fun one.Carla Whiteforest: At least your Mecha is still working, for a given value of 'working'.Thedros Palaikos: Well, yeah. Let's continue, while we still can.Goals:
1. Eliminate Mu Threat.
*Not Yet Complete
2. Secure Fusion Reactors #1, #2 and #4.
*Fusion Reactors Secured: #4 (1 out of 3)
3. Prevent damage to Fusion Reactors #3, #5 and #6.
*Fusion Reactor #3 status: N/A
*Fusion Reactor #5 status: INTACT!
*Fusion Reactor #6 status: DAMAGED!
Maglev: Maglev here, another request came in.Sota Tamayashi: Firefighting or actual fighting?Maglev: The latter, of sorts. A team of firefighters and armored policemen tried to enter Reactor #2 to the west of your position, but something's lurking inside and ambushed them. Heavy casualties on their side. The Mu is using areas with heavy electric fires to mask its presence.Carla Whiteforest: A 'smart' Mu?Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: And I thought regular Mu are bad enough. But we've been doing good for a while, we should be able to handle it!Thedros Palaikos: Let's make sure we don't fail here. We gotta cooperate and work together to flush it out and kill it!Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: 3 from Roll, +4 from Tracking, -2 from Threat Level, -1 from Smart Mu = 4
Thedros Palaikos: 5 from Roll, +3 from Tracking, -2 from Threat Level, -1 from Smart Mu = 5
Final result: (4.5 =>) 4
Sota Tamayashi: 5 from Roll, +3 from Battling, -2 from Threat Level, -1 from Smart Mu = 5
And this plan, spoken out loud and carefully examined... actually worked as intended.
Eva and Thedros combined their Mecha's sensor links to get a two-point reading on something moving inside. Carla and Sota approached the Reactor #3 from two directions, minding the flames and rubble, to cover the two exits from the reactor building.
Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Are you getting it, Thedros? The moving blip amongst the interference?Thedros Palaikos: Yeah! Try to keep it in sensor lock! The duo then watch, and the Command Room can track the proceedings, as a Mu particle cluster is skipping about the burning building. Suddenly, the movement of the 'blip' becomes much more coherent and its making its way towards one of the exits - the southern one, covered by Sota.
Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: It's coming your way, Sota, be ready!Sota Tamayashi: I am! I am! Sota levels his rifle at the door and has the sensor at maximum boost and point-blank range to notify him of anything coming within ten meters. That's why, when the Mu in question bursts not through the main exit, but a small window of the security office inside it, he is able to quickly turn his mecha and deliver a shot that blasts the alien's 'head' apart.
Fumbling with its long, weedy appendages, the large, tall Mu crumples and falls from the window, crashing on the path below.
Sota Tamayashi: 4 from Roll, +3 from Mental Fortitude, -2 from Threat Level = 5
Sota Tamayashi: Ku-SO!! Is that, is that a human!?Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Impossible! Impossible, there's never been a human-Mu in existence! Sota gasps and zooms in on the Mu's corpse, which is fairly vaguely human shaped indeed. There's some sort of consternation as the Pilots try to realize what they're looking at - and Palaikos is first to do it.
Thedros Palaikos: A mandragora maybe?Carla Whiteforest: Man-drags-what-now?Thedros Palaikos: A narcotic plant, it grows in mountains in Nikkor. It's like, a root that looks like it has hands and legs. Like this one!Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Wasn't there some sensational documentary on the holo-vision that Mu cannot take over plant cells because, uh, science?Thedros Palaikos: Well, it looks like a mandragora to me.Sota Tamayashi: Uh, I don't know with that neck, it looks like eel or something. A snake maybe... with legs.Carla Whiteforest: Alright, enough Mu philosophizing for now. Can we change topic? Like, we still have some work to do.Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Right. Let's get back to it. Reactor #3 is the nearest one. Maglev, please ask the emergency teams what's the status of that reactor.Maglev: Of course, give us a minute. The Pilots move on from the weird corpse just as flames start to engulf it, and local firefighting team arrives at the scene.
Goals:
1. Eliminate Mu Threat.
*Not Yet Complete
2. Secure Fusion Reactors #1, #2 and #4.
*Fusion Reactors Secured: #2 & #4 (2 out of 3)
3. Prevent damage to Fusion Reactors #3, #5 and #6.
*Fusion Reactor #3 status: N/A
*Fusion Reactor #5 status: INTACT!
*Fusion Reactor #6 status: DAMAGED!
As the Pilots run their mechas towards the aforementioned Reactor, the 'minute' is filled, of course, with a little chat.
Sota Tamayashi: So how's your mecha doing, Palaikos? Thedros glares at the displays inside his mecha, many, many warning lights flashing and coloring his face's skin every second or a half.
Thedros Palaikos: Still a party, still not a funny one.Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Man, this feels...Carla Whiteforest: Intense.Sota Tamayashi: Yeah. A bit too much, to be honest.Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: How long have we been here? Feels like eternity.Maglev: Mission clock reads fifty seven minutes, Pilots. We've got an update on Reactor #2, by the way.Carla Whiteforest: What's the situation?Maglev: The power plant's staff lost remote communication with the security system there and there's indications of Mu activity nearby. They want us to establish a remote link through your comms systems to at least engage lockdown procedure and keep the electronics and the reactor itself safe before engineers can arrive. They offer to instruct you how to do it.Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Alright.Sota Tamayashi: I will do it, for ease of communication.Thedros Palaikos: Sure. In the meanwhile, we will keep eyes open in case Mu show up.Sota Tamayashi: 3 from Roll, +1 from Computers, +2 from Step-by-Step Instructions, -2 from Threat Level = 4
The next few minutes are filled with Sota, communicating with the plant's staff in his native language, connects his mecha to nearby communications terminal, while Thedros, Eva and Carla are intensely staring at nearby surroundings, rifles and scanners ready.
But finally, red lights start to blink at the rooftops of Reactor #3's building as windows and doors are covered with heavy shutters and internal power network is switched to safe mode.
Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: You did that?Sota Tamayashi: Yeah! Yeah, the staff says they've got the lockdown procedures activated. We can move on to the final Reactor now.Carla Whiteforest: Let's go!Goals:
1. Eliminate Mu Threat.
*Not Yet Complete
2. Secure Fusion Reactors #1, #2 and #4.
*Fusion Reactors Secured: #2 & #4 (2 out of 3)
3. Prevent damage to Fusion Reactors #3, #5 and #6.
*Fusion Reactor #3 status: INTACT!
*Fusion Reactor #5 status: INTACT!
*Fusion Reactor #6 status: DAMAGED!
They don't get anywhere when suddenly the Mu counter indicates greatly elevated readings, and then movement sensor notifies pilots than something big is coming from between the power plant's numerous facilities and small buildings.
Carla Whiteforest: It's a big one, what the hell!Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: It's coming right at you, Sota!Sota Tamayashi: 1 from Roll, +3 from Battling, -2 from Supreme Lifeform Mu, -2 from Threat Level = 0
Sota Tamayashi: It's fast! Fast indeed, as this lion-slash-wolf bursts from between the buildings and jumps at Sota's mecha, something that he did not expect. He tries to fist the alien in the face but it opens its maw five-fold, disgusting teeth then latching on the Mecha's arm, and pulling down hard with its weight and 180-degree, upside-down tearing motion of its alien head.
Sota Tamayashi: What- The force is so great that the arm in question is pulled out of its socket, accompanied by the horrible sounds of tearing metal and fizzling circuitry.
VanZer995-004: 1/2 Hitpoints left!But the alien is not done and soon jumps back at Sota's mecha. The loss of the arm coupled with the alien's weight and sheer strength sends the unit faceplanting into the pavement hard, sending pieces of concrete flying.
VanZer995-004: 0/2 Hitpoints left!Sota Tamayashi has been Incapacitated!Warning lights and status reports flash on the screens of the Command Room as well.
Operator #1: Critical structural damage to Tamayashi's mecha!Operator #2: Bio-monitor readings just went crazy! He is wounded, probably uncounscious as well!Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: 6 from Roll, +1 from Battling, -2 from Supreme Lifeform Mu, -2 from Threat Level = 3
Carla Whiteforest: 5 from Roll, +3 from Battling, -2 from Supreme Lifeform Mu, -2 from Threat Level = 4
Final result: (3.5 =>) 3
Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Tamayashi!! The remaining three Pilots rush into action, with Carla and Eva putting in some weight. Some laser blasts mark the body of the Mu, which retaliates by jumping onto Eva's mecha and latching onto some armor pieces between the cockpit and the rifle-arm. Sparks and metal explode outright as Eva's unit crashes to the ground, its camera feed getting replaced with static.
Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Everything's gone dark! My controls are not responding!Operator #1: We're reading damage to your power network! Your Mecha needs to be evacuated!VanZer995-005: 0/2 Hitpoints left!Thedros Palaikos: 5 from Roll, +1 from Battling, -1 from Battling System Damage, -1 from Supreme Lifeform Mu (Wounded), -2 from Threat Level = 2
Carla Whiteforest: 6 from Roll, +3 from Battling, -1 from Supreme Lifeform Mu (Wounded), -2 from Threat Level = 6
Final result: 4
Carla Whiteforest: Come get me, you bastard!! Carla empties some more of her rifle's battery to score marks on the powerful Mu entity, which takes Thedros' mecha in its sights and rushes him. He does his best to avoid the jaws of the beast and seizes it by its body, causing it to roar and trash about.
Thedros Palaikos: Shoot, Carla, SHOOT!! Thedros's Mecha soon suffers the brunt of the Mu's fiery rage, as its five-jaw mouth opens, latches on his Mecha, and throws him aside, slamming the construct against the nearby storage shed. The small concrete building is leveled in the same moment Carla gets a clear shot - and sends a bolt of energy right into the closing mouth of the Mu.
VanZer995-001: 0/2 Hitpoints left!It recoils backwards to protect itself but the critical damage is done - it soon starts to convulse and tumble over itself, before it crumples, lifeless, on the ground. Mu readings on all available sensors drastically fall towards zero.
Carla Whiteforest: Thedros!?Eva Wilhelmina Langrisser: Thedros, say something!Thedros Palaikos: *coughing* I'm okay, I think...Operator #1: Reading structural damage and power loss in Unit zero-zero-one, Commander!Maglev: Maglev here. Mu particle readings have fallen to zero. However, the current situation forces us to enter the operation area. We're requesting abortion of the mission, Commander Shiek, we need to recover our damaged Units and get Pilot Tamayashi to the hospital ASAP! Goals:
1. Eliminate Mu Threat.
*MU THREAT EXTERMINATED
*VICTORY TO MAIANS
2. Secure Fusion Reactors #1, #2 and #4.
*Fusion Reactors Secured: #2 & #4 (2 out of 3)
3. Prevent damage to Fusion Reactors #3, #5 and #6.
*Fusion Reactor #3 status: INTACT!
*Fusion Reactor #5 status: INTACT!
*Fusion Reactor #6 status: DAMAGED!
All Mu Aliens have been eliminated in Operation Area. As a result, Threat Level is being lowered by 1 to Medium (-1 Penalty to Skill Checks)
Chief Secretary, silent and anxious during the whole operation, suddenly speaks up.
Maia Sanders: Wait! Maglev crew, are you positive there's no more Mu near the power plant? If yes, is there a possibility we could finish the mission?Carla Whiteforest: What!? Are you-- blind, Sanders!?Maglev: Tamayashi is down! We need to evacuate the team immediately!Maia Sanders: You could extract Pilot Tamayashi and his Suit alone, and with only one Reactor to secure- I mean, we're so close to complete all the objectives!Maglev: It is still too dangerous to try! I want Commander on this! Commander Shiek, should we abort the mission completely, or extract Unit zero-zero-four and Pilot Tamayashi as emergency measure?
