Matoran und Panzer

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

I frowned.

 

Claw marks, some kind of Rahi, maybe?

 

I followed the trail around to the broken wall. There was an unusual tunnel there. Almost.... As if a Matoran had made it.

 

"Maybe those Hadals weren't all gone after all....." I muttered.

 

"Alright, boys. Looks like we found our hole. Anyone with iron or stone, step up and seal it up! Afterwards, sort yourselves out and get these crates loaded, double time!"

[Nato G]

GM IC: 

 

One of the Matoran clambered out his exo and cautiously approached the tunnel. "Hey boss...?" he turned back towards Kat, "....I think I can hear someone down there."

 

Sure enough, a distant cry for help echoed through the tunnel, followed by a menacing roar. 

[Not Quite Dead]

GM IC:

"Said what, little Gamma? That you would be entertaining, that was what I recalled. That and urging your friends to make haste wherever they are."

 

The shambling husk of a matoran grew closer, grabbing a long serrated carving knife from the table and breaking into a clunky rush at the Bo-Matoran.

 

* * *

 

The term "mouth of the cave" could be taken quite literally in Cor Saeva's situation. The rocky antechamber before her was fairly linear, a long tunnel at the far end stretched away into the damp and musty darkness like a stone esophagus. An analogy only made more apt by the gurgling of water further down.

 

On the ground lay silver coins, a very old mint from Seize. Typically only found in the possession of collectors, bygone merchants and their shops and in the pockets of especially stodgy old people, reluctant to turn their money into the government despite it being obsolete. One lay at her feet, a few meters from the entrance. Another gleamed in the faint light from her rifle some ten meters down the throat of the cavern.

 

* * *

 

;It's possible. I could release hormones that would make you stronger and quicker in battle, but be warned that like any high, coming down can be unpleasant;

 

Through the trees ahead, Shard would soon be able to make out voices. Disconnected words drifting through the trees. Treize came up several times.

 

;I believe that is your group, Shard. I would suggest you do not reveal my presence; To facilitate it's demand, the crystal that had encased the Gem-Matoran's hands withdrew, allowing him to freely sheath the blade.

 

* * *

 

Inside Stiehl's camp outpost, a bevy of hard drinking, hard partying pirates were deep in conversation.

 

"I've been bad to the bone since I was a junior cadet-"

 

"Huh, really now?"

 

"-yeah I was uncontrollable! That's why they started calling me Fireball Jr of Highwind Academy!"

 

"WHAT?! There's no way that you're the legendary Fireball Jr?!"

 

"Yeah, I wa-"

 

"HA, I used to be quite the bad### myself, Ashball Jr. When I got started or lost my cool, I couldn't be stopped 'til my opponent was a bloody mess, *tch*. That's why they called me the Hospitalizer of Compassrose Military College."

 

"Hospitalizer?"

 

"That doesn't sound so cool..."

 

"I'm so bad, I never had a throw a punch anybody."

 

"What?"

 

"Yeah, I was so scary no one had the guts to face me. They called me Victory by Default."

 

"So, you actually good in a fight?"

 

"Well... Er, I never actually had to fight, so... I guess I don't know?"

 

"I'm not sure if that counts as a good or bad track record to be honest..."

 

"I was so feared and revered I never even had a nickname!"

 

"..."

 

"...That's the stupidest load of brakas I ever heard!"

 

"No nickname? Get out of here, loser!"

 

Before the rough talking privateers had a chance to evict the golden texted braggart, a hailstorm of bullets ripped through the windows. Prompting them to duck and cover before a brave one popped up, tossing a fireball at the War Pig.

 

* * *

 

Oblitus had a couple choices of rooms to search. Namely, Lost/Found and Main Office.

[Nato G]

IC: Cor Saeva - Canyon. 

 

This place didn't sit well with me. I crouched for a moment to pick up one of the coins, stuffing it into my pocket before continuing onwards, deeper into the cave....

________________________________________________

 

IC: Oblitus - Ascension. 

 

On a whim, I decided to take a look in the room marked Lost/Found. While the Main Office might contain something important, Lost/Found would probably contain something interesting.  

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Gamma

Gamma lunged backwards, dodging the knife. He then threw his own punch at the Matoran, aiming for his face. If he could knock him over, he could take the knife.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Thak:

 

Thak roared with laughter, as the ill aimed fireball splashed against the armored chassis of the Pig, and they tore away across the desert.

 

He left them a gift of some parting shots, still laughing maniacally.

 

"Floor it, Zarx! We gotta get to the next site pronto!"

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Zarx

"WOOOOOOO!" Zarx cheered, as they zoomed across the landscape, both of them still cackling.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

My frown deepened.

 

I wasn't sure if Legion would fit into the tunnel.

 

I popped the hatch, climbing out, grabbing my newly acquired small rifle.

 

"Light armor, up. Cover the tunnel entrance. I want a small squad, armed with some of these weapons! We're going in!"

 

I rubbed my mask, hoping I wouldn't regret this.

[Voltex]

IC: IKIRA

 

Ikira suddenly sat up in her chair, rubbing at her eyes.

 

It appeared that the person controlling her actions had forgotten about her for awhile she'd fallen asleep in her chair.

 

She turned to Zeleran.

 

"What did I miss?"

[Not Quite Dead]

GM IC:

Thak and Zarx's assault had only succeeding in killing the golden text being.

 

Status : Non-essential

 

The remaining pirates quickly took up posts at windows and sent word out to the main base above Circadian, Stiehl had to know that a bunch of punks had dared to insult his glorious image.

 

* * *

 

The thrall stumbled back from the punch, it's movements were slow and uncoordinated, but powerful. Bracing itself on a chair as it stumbled, it quickly recovered and flung the chair at Gamma with it's right hand, knife still in a rigor mortise grip in it's left.

 

* * *

 

Lost/Found was in good condition compared to the other rooms that Oblitus had visited. The desk in the middle of the room was tidy, papers and stationary gathering dust in neat rows and stacks. Behind the desk was a wall of five heavy lockers, aptly titled Lost/Found and subtitled with what was presumably their general contents.

 

Personal Effects

Paperwork

Confiscated

Business

Miscellaneous

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Gamma

"Look, sir! I can do anything! Just don't kill me like this!" Gamma begged Steihl, ducking as the chair flew over him.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM IC:

The lanky Skakdi shrugged, bringing his hand up like a puppeteer and spurring the shambling matoran onwards.

 

"How about I kill you like this instead?" The matoran flung away the knife, grabbing instead a particularly sharp serving spoon.

[Nato G]

GM IC:

 

As Kat and her group began to move into the tunnel, the sounds of something big shuffling around up ahead echoed through the tunnel....

_________________________________________________________

 

IC: Oblitus - Ascension.

 

"Oh, now we're talking," I grinned, moving around the desk to open up the locker marked "Confiscated." 

[The UltimoScorp]

Ic kat:

 

I held up a hand, and my band of merry men stopped.

 

I turned to them, keeping my voice low.

 

"Alright boys, set up here, I want solid cover set up here, here and here. I'll take point, see what I can see, standby and be prepared to open fire on my mark."

 

They went to work setting up walls of iron and stone.

 

As for me, I advanced carefully further into the tunnel, my rifle at the ready.

[Nato G]

GM IC:

 

As Kat moved further into the main tunnel, she would notice smaller tunnels branching off to the sides. In some were piles of ancient, gnawed bones. In one were much fresher ones, still glistening with blood. One chamber, however, seemed to contain a few crates that some one or thing had dragged away, the contents - strange, lemon-shaped objects with pins attached to the top - scattered all over the floor. 

 

Up ahead, something moved in the darkness....

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Gamma

"Look, sir, I think I would be more use to you alive than dead, I could help you, just please don't kill me." Gamma begged, looking at Steihl with a pleading look.

[Khromatose]

IC: Shard

He nodded and sheathed the blade.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

I couldn't believe it. Grenades. I'd heard about these sort of miniature shells before, and I'd even seen a few but these? Theses were high tech.

 

 

Well, relatively speaking. I pocketed about six of the devices, and peered over the box.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM IC:

Contrary to the juicy nomenclature, the contents of the locker were quite plain. A couple of small and concealable blades, a random assortment of junk paperwork and books and a large collection of funny devices. Somewhat like his tablet, but with tactile buttons depicting numbers and small arrays needle sized holes in the smooth material at either end. Some were flat, others folded open and shut.

 

* * *

 

"Gods, you're boring... Carve out his heart!"

 

The sharpened implement was raised high above Gamma's prone form, ready to lance downwards.

 

*pop*

 

In an instant that was not even perceivable, the puppet crumbled over headless. The door at the front of the hall had opened during the same instant, in it now stood a grey figure, a hazy silhouette against the night time backdrop.

 

"Stiehl, what is this?" A drawling, lazy voice. But one with a palpable tone of authority garnered through great power.

Edited June 1, 2015 by Kaneo Takarada

[Nato G]

GM IC: 

 

But the creature in the tunnels was now moving steadily closer, sniffing deeply. 

_____________________________________________________________________

 

IC: Oblitus - Ascension Lost/Found.

 

Frowning, I picked up a few of the unfamiliar devices and put them in my satchel. Ancient tech would probably be worth something to someone... Closing the locker, I moved over to the one marked Miscellaneous, and pulled that one open as well. 

[Dane-gerous]

IC: Gamma

Gamma cowered, not realizing that the Matoran wasn't looking at him.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

Ordinarily, I'd bug out at this point. Underground Rahi tended to be.... Oddly territorial.

 

But, I had a man, maybe two to save.

 

So doing, I grabbed one if the remaining grenades from the floor, pulled the pin, and rolled it down the tunnel towards the creature.

 

And then I ran like Karz.

 

With a little luck, the noise of both the grenade and my running would draw it into the blast radius, either killing or at least wounding it.

 

I barked into my radio, "Fire in the hole, get ready!"

[Nato G]

GM IC: 

 

The creature began to move faster, homing in on the sound and smell of the fleeing Matoran.

 

 

It let out a roar, and...

                                    Light.

                                                Heat. 

                                                           Noise. 

                                                                        Pain.

                                                                                 ...retreated, howling in agony. 

[silo]

IC: Zeleran - Circadian

"Their rook has taken our bishop." I reply, gesturing to the pile of rubble. "What do you propose we should do?"

 

IC: Olis - Ascension

Eyes wide, I focus on diverting the creature towards the wall on my right, changing the gravity in a field around it to make that wall a floor. At the same time, I leap to the opposite wall, on my left, using my powers to hang to the wall like a spider, and making a speedy race for the exit.

Edited June 2, 2015 by 000

[Timageness]

GM IC: ???

Despite the clarity of Pe Ell's previous message, any further attempts to establish radio contact with him resulted only in static, leaving the rescue party with little information besides the coordinates they had already received.

Perhaps he had simply moved out of range?

 

GM OOC: Sorry about how late this was; I was waiting to see if I could get a response to the Seize group in the same post, but that didn't end up happening.

[Voltex]

IC: IKIRA

 

Ikira shrugged. "No idea, sir. You're in charge, after all."

[Makuta Miras]

IC: Arkie (C i r c a d i a n  P u z z l e  T w o)

 

"How about not getting any of us killed?" I say in a strangely high-pitched voice. The bone-white pieces seem unnerving, stonily gazing at us from the far side of the board. "Do all you guys agree?" I continue, turning to talk to Carth, Sora and Kaleva.

 

IC: Suko (Ihu Foothills)

 

Grumbling still, I wake up with a searing hangover. I nearly fall to the ground when I realize where I am- in a makeshift hammock slung between the branches of two trees. Through the axe of pain in my head, I vaguely remember making this late in the night through a drink-fuelled haze. I jump out of it, landing roughly on the forest floor, and lie there for a few seconds muttering. I get up and shoot down my hammock with a few balls of fire before bundling it up and slinging it over my shoulder as I continue my trek back towards Treize.

 

OOC: Suko open to... GM shenanigans.

Edited June 2, 2015 by Miras the Omniscient

[Nato G]

IC: Olis - Ascension

Eyes wide, I focus on diverting the creature towards the wall on my right, changing the gravity in a field around it to make that wall a floor. At the same time, I leap to the opposite wall, on my left, using my powers to hang to the wall like a spider, and making a speedy race for the exit.

 

GM IC: 

 

The titanic robotic monstrosity was surprised to find gravity reoriented to the wall, and struggled to pull itself free.

 

Unfortunately for Olis - although he had escaped the basement - he'd left Einefus behind, there was still a veritable army of regular Manas inside the building, and he had no idea how to get out. 

Edited June 2, 2015 by Locus

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Kat:

 

"Alright..."

 

I pulled out my Radio, "Move up to my position, we've got some shiny new toys here."

 

I sighed, should have known better than to just use one grenade.

 

Wounded Rahi were generally more dangerous than usual. Pain and fear made them desperate, but with a little luck, it had buggered off far enough for us to find our missing man.

[silo]

IC: Zeleran - Circadian

A small dose of an alien emotion known as 'panic' made itself known in the Commander's mind before being forcefully pushed down...strategy was one thing, but chess was not only unexpected but...very unexpected. "Arktinen, I advise you to stay calm. Since you are having a first-hand view of the goings-on, what position do you propose?" An idea was forming in Zeleran's mind even as he spoke...the Board wouldn't just let them win, just like that...it had to be rigged in some way, it had to require some kind of thinking outside the box...what do you suppose would happen if they simply shot at the enemy pieces? Was this speculation, or were these thoughts simple excuses for not thinking about the fact that he was not fulfilling his role as strategist? Zeleran didn't know.

 

IC: Olis - Ascension

"Einefus!" I shout, half yell, half growl. "Come on!"

Edited June 3, 2015 by 000

[Makuta Miras]

IC: Arkie (C i r c a d i a n  P u z z l e  T w o)

 

"Idk," I say with a shrug. "All-out attack?"

[Nato G]

GM IC: 

 

Distant cries for help and the howls of the wounded rahi echoed through the tunnel as Kat's reinforcements moved forward towards where she waited. 

[silo]

IC: Zeleran  - Circadian

The steltian's eyes narrowed. This was taking too long. A risk had to be made. "Yes, but not in the way you're thinking." he replied. In an instant, he had drawn his Kanoka launcher, loaded it and fired a mid-level Weakens disc at the D4 Knight.

[Makuta Miras]

OOC: Recommended listening: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V835qWx1TgM

 

IC: Arkie (C i r c a d i a n  P u z z l e  T w o)

 

Without another word, I lob the pike at the opposing pieces, followed by a quick volley of crossbow bolts towards the piece currently in the line of fire of Zel's Kanoka.

[The UltimoScorp]

IC Carth:

 

I shrugged, and sent a crackling bolt of electricity at the nearest opposing piece.

[(Daedalus)]

OOC: Holy geez I can't believe I forgot to post in a very long time. My apologies.

 

IC: Einefus Ingrayv (Ascension Basement)

 

Whether it was lingering disorientation from my transformation or some other, outside force, I cannot say, but I stood frozen as Olis battled the large creature. His angry cry, however, snaps me from my stupor.

 

I send a (hopefully) parting fireball toward the creature and then run for the exit, trailing behind Olis.

 

"We still has ahse'ves a prollum," I observe, my eyes taking in the large number of manas crabs.

[Not Quite Dead]

GM IC:

Miscellaneous was even more barren, containing naught but a few objects that were crinkly and silver.

 

* * *

 

Weakened by Zeleran's kanoka, the hailstorm of weapons fire demolished the knight. To their astonishment, the black pieces began to join them in their fight and in no time at all the white side was demolished. The highest ranking black piece after the showdown was a now one-armed knight, it approached the party of the Jattiko and pointed to the five remaining pawns and the doorway they had came in from. As if to say, we've got your back.

[silo]

IC: Zeleran - Circadian

The steltian's eyebrow's rose. After a split second, he snapped out of it: "Head for the exit!" he commanded in a tone that suggested you would be clinically insane to disobey. In another instant, he had hopped down from the throne, striding purposefully towards the doorway at the other end, glancing at the Black pieces. They seemed to be made of solid stone, yet moved like automatons...

It occurred to Zeleran that  the pawns were protecting them, and therefore something was most likely coming. He increased he pace, shouting: "Come on!" in a most informal way.

 

IC: Olis - Ascension

I stare back wildly, watching the creature in case it's still alive. If it is, then that will present a bigger problem...I turn back to the Manas before me, increasing the gravity of one so that all the others in a certain range are pulled towards it.

"#### the creature!" I shout to Einefus. "Let's just get out of here!" I vow that I'll get Oblitus for betraying us, not that I would have done any different.

As quickly as I can, I create a separate field around me and Einefus. For a moment, I focus. I displace the gravity around us, pushing and concentrating it below us as we float upwards. Then the gravity goes through zero and out the other side as we fall towards the ceiling. 

"Quickly." I manage - it'll only be a few seconds before I lose concentration or possibly consciousness...

Edited June 4, 2015 by 000

[Makuta Miras]

IC: Arkie (C i r c a d i a n P u z z l e T w o-->T h r e e)

 

"Gotcha!" I begin dashing off, heading towards the doorway. "Come on!" I shout to the others, beckoning for them to follow.

[Nato G]

IC: Oblitus - Ascension Lost/Found. 

 

I heard crashing sounds somewhere on the floor below, and backed out of the room, deciding to take a look in the Main Office I'd spotted earlier, then try to find a way out of this place. 

_________________________________________________________________________

 

GM IC: 

 

What Olis didn't seem to realise was that Manas crabs are big, and heavy. His gravity well pulled some towards the one he'd used his gravity on, but the rest surged forwards, scrabbling down the stairs to flood the basement once more. 

 

Now he and Einefus were stuck on the ceiling of an underground basement that was full of giant blind crabs.