22 Tough battles and Hard Lessons (Interlude & Open RP)

[Ndreare]

Finally making it topside and being able to get out of your armor the Heroes enjoy a bit of fresh air outside of the re-circulation and filtration systems they where relying on. Unfortunately after sitting down to catch their breath the Heroes find their gear is in heavy need of maintenance and cleaning.

Taking their armor off in shifts so no more than one of them is in danger at a time the heroes clean their armor using water from a nearby pond, making sure it goes into the soil rather than risking contamination back into the pond.

This was a harrowing mission, one many others would have failed. But the Legendary Heroes of Hope had training, experience and luck enough to do it.

Thinking back on past events allows the heroes to recall some of the lessons that taught them what they needed for this mission. This chance to apply those lessons learned and share it with the others really helps cement the lesson in their heads.

After gettin the armor decontaminated the heroes move on. They do not have the time for the more significant repairs needed to happen out here in the field and meeting up with Ruben and the others should not wait to much longer.

Instructions, Read all Very Carefully

Gain an Advance: Tell a story of a past experience and how it helped to shape and mold your hero. Include in that tail how that mission or experience helped you in the Bug Hunt and you gain an immediate advance to 15 (19 is MARS).



OPEN ROLE PLAY
This game will be on pause until January 2nd.
Please enjoy open role play or whatever as we all move towards Christmas, New Years and Family time.

When we start again it will be in the New Years and you will all have the end of Quarter Advance as well. Making you Legendary 16 (or 20 for MARS).

[Gridia Thorem]

As Gridia finishes removing the viscera and grime from his clothing. He moves to hang his jacket on a nearby, low-hanging tree branch to dry. The overgrown roots near it provided a nice seat for a moment. "Glad to rest a moment, been upright for a most of the day now." he says as he pulls a package of pellet like items and proceeds to consume one or two at a time. If observed, you can see Gridia sifting through the pellets to eat ones of a certain color before moving onto the next.

"@Sal you mentioned within the hive that my information was invaluable. I'm glad it was. I can remember a time when I was more ignorant to the species called Xiticix. Care to hear more my short furred friend?"

[Fritz]

As Gridia finishes removing the viscera and grime from his clothing. He moves to hang his jacket on a nearby, low-hanging tree branch to dry. The overgrown roots near it provided a nice seat for a moment. "Glad to rest a moment, been upright for a most of the day now." he says as he pulls a package of pellet like items and proceeds to consume one or two at a time. If observed, you can see Gridia sifting through the pellets to eat ones of a certain color before moving onto the next.

"@Sal you mentioned in within the hive that my information was invaluable. I'm glad it was. I can remember a time when I was more ignorant to the species called Xiticix. Care to hear more my short furred friend?"

"I would imagine that being a literal lab rat has our friend a bit short on other species, unless they were like-wise lab specimens."

Pausing wih his vibro bayonet as he had been gutting and cleaning the Xiticix carapaces, "Not that I am claustrophobic or anything but there is something to be said for well built and stable tunnels. I am surprised everyone made it out."

"Had a mission into the bayous east of Lone Star. Tracking a new species. Aquatic burrowers. Those buggers had ways of telling where a tunnel would collapse and triggering those collapses. Lost a good third of our expedition."

"Their tunnels were just as likely to be collapsed as they were to be flooded. Those tunnel networks were so unpredictable. Standard EBAs ran out early and we found ourselves re-digging tunnels that had caved in to get the EBA charges of those we knew were dead."

"The math just did not add up. These creatures were really minding their own business and had made perfectly good use of an area that few others, other than El Occulta ever messed with. Lost a good number of men and equipment, Got some readings but nothing else. An effictive waste of time."

Heading back into his work of cleaning and gutting, Fritz separates the insides into a trench that he has lined with stones from the nearby river. He had previously used an empty head of the Xicitix to remove acid from the hive pools to fill the trench. When the inards are placed in the trench, he takes fresh stream water on the acid and innards. The result is a frothing, bubbling mess that consumes all the remaining fleshy parts.

[Sal]

Sal’s armor looked like it was cobbled together from different models. A little Triax, a bit of NGR, mixed with a dash of CS. The ratlings smiled as he watched Wily Wonka pop his candy and nodded eagerly to hear more about the Xictic. Even his friend’s fritz’ tale of the aquatic strain piqued his curious ears. He squeaked, while buffing some queen goop from his leggings, “Of course if there is more to tell please do. As my dear friend Fritz alluded to my time and knowledge is limited to what I gleaned in the labs where I was made...” Sal paused taking a quick cheddar cheese break and pulled out his canister of nano bots which helped undo the queen bugs demonic magic. Quietly he mused, “Do you guys ever feel like you had lived another life? I am no hero, not like you guys. Sure I killed a Queen Xictic, and a Thorn Head demon... But... That wasn’t me.” He scratched his head and twiddled a wisker, “Uhh... I mean... I don’t know what I mean. Sometimes it feels like someone else is up here in the drivers seat if you catch my meaning.” He tapped the nano canister against his soft haired skull. Shrugging he shook his head, “Bahh... I don’t know my own meaning. But let me tell you about these nano babies.”

Sal smiled switching subjects with ease and excitedly said, “It all started just before Fritz busted me out of the lab...”

What Really Happened

Major Wolfe was chewing on a cigar as he looked down at the ratling strapped into a reclined chair. A visor was over the face of the ratling. Both the chair and visor were hooked up via cables to a small machine and a larger display. The major blew a puff of smoke and turned to the doctor in the room. The major gruffly spoke, “How is it coming doctor? Will the subject remember the past seven years?”

The doctor tapped his redout and smiled a wide big grin as if pleased by his own success, “Oh no... He will remember almost nothing, just waking up... Clean slate protocols have been enabled.”

The major took the file labled Strategic Asset 1 off the near desk and perused it, “What about his special abilities?”

The doctor pushed his horn rimmed spectacles up the bridge of his nose and slightly smiled, “Everything he learned at Kamp K will be attributed to innate mutant abilities, or cybernetic enhancements...” The doctor lifted a small vial filled with silver goop, “Anything we have trouble with we can use nano tech to explain... He should on a subconsious level be able to have these little buggers do just about anything, including repairing damaged skin tissue or even reconstructing organs. In his hands nano tech will be quite powerful.”

The major flipped a page, “What about the assassination of Victoria Geist? Will he remember he missed?”

The doctor frowned and tapped his screen again, “No. He will have no knowledge of that incident, but we are layering in a type 1 personality that will kick in during ummm, high stress action. This should ensure a better success rate of those types of missions in the future.” The doctor paused tapping something on the screen and continued curiously, “I hear war drums are being beaten... I wonder how much trouble Commander Geist will be now that she joined Tolkeen’s side.”

Major Wolfe looked at the doctor with a brow raised and then turned back to the file he was reading, “Yes... No doubt she will be a thorn that needs to be removed. What about extraction for the subject?”

The doctor nodded slowly, ”I think it is best if we keep him under observation. I would recommend using him for strategic strikes during the war. We can wipe his mind after each mission. He is very pliable. Then after the war... We have contacted through back channels a cyber knight who I believe will be useful in freeing him. Once in the wild we will need to partner him with a fixer as well to monitor his cyber tech systems.”

The major nodded putting his cigar out on an ash tray, “Ok sounds fine. We will send Strategic Asset One on an indefinite excursion when the war ends... Lets just call him SAL for short.”

Sal grinned finishing the tale, “That is how I stole this from the lab as we broke out. It was only later that Fritz and I ran across the cheese purveyor Thomas Tucker and his magical cart of cheese... I thought I had died and went to heaven!”

[Fritz]

Fritz Flashback

Location: Castle Refuge, Offices of the Intelligence Department
Date & Time: A few years before the present

"Agent 13, thanks for your attendance."

Only a nod in response to the acknowledgement.

"Take a seat Agent 13 and we will get started with the briefing."

The lights dim and the three figures in the room watch a large vid screen.

"This footage came from a hijacked armor cam. We have been following Victoria Geist for quite some time."

Different voice than the first, "Some of the Legions assets operate outside the Legion jurisdiction and we are not saying that Geist is or is not such an asset. She is valuable none the less."

First voice, "Her past seems to have brought her new enemies."

The video plays and is choppy and patchy at the best of times. Interestingly enough, there are only two really clear images and those are only from when the video is stopped offering still frames. The first is obviously Victoria Geist the second is of rat. There are enough segments following the rat picture to actually see that it is a ratling.

The ratling's actions show incredible amounts of intelligence and the pauses show that there is some methodical plan unfolding. Watchers get the sense that something nefarious should be unfolding, but the video gets garbled and skips a few dozen frames. The next clear image of the situation has the ratling stuffing its face. Then the video feed cuts out entirely.

First voice, "Agent 13. That ratling is not ours and most likely it is a CS Lone Star project. Your mission is two part. Find and retrieve the mission parameters for this ratling's development. The second if you are able, is to etract that specific specimen and bring back to Refuge."

Agent 13 stands up in the darkened room. "I will be leaving immediately." Agent 13 exits out of the room.

The major flipped a page, “What about the assassination of Victoria Geist? Will he remember he missed?”

The doctor frowned and tapped his screen again, “No. He will have no knowledge of that incident, but we are layering in a type 1 personality that will kick in during ummm, high stress action. This should ensure a better success rate of those types of missions in the future.” The doctor paused tapping something on the screen and continued curiously, “I hear war drums are being beaten... I wonder how much trouble Commander Geist will be now that she joined Tolkeen’s side.”

Major Wolfe looked at the doctor with a brow raised and then turned back to the file he was reading, “Yes... No doubt she will be a thorn that needs to be removed. What about extraction for the subject?”

[Gridia Thorem]

As Gridia finishes removing the viscera and grime from his clothing. He moves to hang his jacket on a nearby, low-hanging tree branch to dry. The overgrown roots near it provided a nice seat for a moment. "Glad to rest a moment, been upright for a most of the day now." he says as he pulls a package of pellet like items and proceeds to consume one or two at a time. If observed, you can see Gridia sifting through the pellets to eat ones of a certain color before moving onto the next.

"@Sal you mentioned in within the hive that my information was invaluable. I'm glad it was. I can remember a time when I was more ignorant to the species called Xiticix. Care to hear more my short furred friend?"

"I would imagine that being a literal lab rat has our friend a bit short on other species, unless they were like-wise lab specimens."

Pausing wih his vibro bayonet as he had been gutting and cleaning the Xiticix carapaces, "Not that I am claustrophobic or anything but there is something to be said for well built and stable tunnels. I am surprised everyone made it out."

"Had a mission into the bayous east of Lone Star. Tracking a new species. Aquatic burrowers. Those buggers had ways of telling where a tunnel would collapse and triggering those collapses. Lost a good third of our expedition."

"Their tunnels were just as likely to be collapsed as they were to be flooded. Those tunnel networks were so unpredictable. Standard EBAs ran out early and we found ourselves re-digging tunnels that had caved in to get the EBA charges of those we knew were dead."

"The math just did not add up. These creatures were really minding their own business and had made perfectly good use of an area that few others, other than El Occulta ever messed with. Lost a good number of men and equipment, Got some readings but nothing else. An effictive waste of time."

Heading back into his work of cleaning and gutting, Fritz separates the insides into a trench that he has lined with stones from the nearby river. He had previously used an empty head of the Xicitix to remove acid from the hive pools to fill the trench. When the inards are placed in the trench, he takes fresh stream water on the acid and innards. The result is a frothing, bubbling mess that consumes all the remaining fleshy parts.

"The tunnels certainly are a tangled mess when they get far enough along." Gridia nods as Sal chimes in.

Intrigued by the tales of both Fritz and Sal, Gridia sits up to listen, popping a few more sugary tablets into his mouth. "Hmmm never would have guess that's how you received your name @Sal. Is this how you and Fritz came to meet?" the elf says nodding toward Fritz.

"My first run-in with this species was not a pleasant one. It started with a negotiation of a settlement leader far East from here. I was with a band of adventurers who I'd met in South Hutchinson, and a rogue CS battalion that was escorting the now former residents of South Hutchinson to Mashville. South Hutchinson was destroyed after a skirmish between two dragons, who were friends of mine, and a local warlord." Gridia trails off a moment as his face grows stern. One might compare it with concern.

"We had come across a small, but well fortified complex. The leader, or rather ruler if you will, referred to himself as "The Baron." He was a bitter elf who had little patience for those that appear as humans. I ended up brokering an agreement with the Baron. We would investigate a rabid ent from the nearby forest that had just days before broken into the compound. It had smashed its way through the border walls and caused quite a mess in one of their trade areas. So, we started there, and waded through the crushed foliage that the ent had left in the wake of its retreat."

"It wasn't long that we had found the ent. It was hard to miss it through all the thrashing and sounds of weapon fire. It was under attack from a group of Xiticix. Though I did not know it at first. When we approached, we saw four of the bugs hoist a large cannon into the air that shot a chemical at the ent. Upon contact, the ent had become enraged, its manner devolving from defending itself to a mad rage. It lashed out and charged in each direction, unfortunately revealing our positions in doing so. It didn't take much but we took down the ent. It was our only recourse, sadly, otherwise we were likely to die."

Gridia pauses again, his mouth a grim line compared to his usual cheerful demeanor, or at least that's how he perceives himself.

"If it weren't for the fight with the ent, we'd have never found the colony. We stumbled upon it as we ran from the group of Xiticix trying to hit us with their chemical weapon. We lost some good men in our retreat but we managed to evade the bugs without riling the colony. We had made it most of the way back when we were ambushed by a Xiticix patrol. Nastily smart creatures they are. So we divided, realizing we needed to warn the compound and our refugees."

"I had to be the one to return to the compound. The Baron would not have listened to anyone else. I was briefing him on the situation when I heard it, a loud blast from the compound wall. The glitterboy who was with the adventurers had started firing on something far in the distance. His radio message informing us that the colony had been awoken and were beginning their assault on the compound for the transgression of trespassing. I don't think it'd have taken such an insult anyway. Thankfully, the Baron recognized this threat and the might of the rogue CS battalion and the compound mounted a full on counter attack. What resulted as a fight larger than I had ever witnessed. We took heavy casualties fighting the Xiticix back to their colony, that's when things got worse."

"Hundreds of Xiticix began pouring from every cavity the colony had to offer. The artillery, armored combatants and mages had their work cut out for them, but we managed to clear the surface. I'm sure it was in large part to the Glitterboy pilot peppering the larger entrances with his boom gun." Gridia nods at @Maggie with a gracious admiration. Her affiliation with the ranks of GBs was warming to him because of his experiences with her fellow pilots.

"Our descent into the colony was different from today's the walls were healthy, if you will, and not filled with the acidic bile that ...I can still smell..." Gridia grabs a container and starts moving toward the water again.

"We fought our way through the waves of Xiticix toward a source of power I could only identify as a Rift. Once we found it, the sight was horrific. On the other side of the portal were scores of bugs, some huge, some I'd never seen before. And they were all headed for us. Without a moment's thought, the technowizard with us located a device that was some how controlling the Rift. In powering it off, what we saw was something I'd never witnessed: a humanoid female with fox like traits. She had 4 bushy tails from her lower backside and eyes to match the small creature in shape, but the rest of her form was of an elegant human shape. She fell to the ground from the center of the closed Rift and remained unconscious."

"Alvax, the technowizard, discerned that the reactor on the generator could be overloaded which would cause a catastrophic reaction. One large enough to lay waste to the colony as was. We deliberated a moment but decided it was best. We couldn't chance the Xiticix reforming here. Moments later, we returned to the surface and Alvax soon followed. He had rigged the device to trigger remotely, and I must say, it darked the sky around us at the compound because the blast was so bright. Frightening really, but the destruction was mostly contained due to the vastness of the colony."

"I hope today's events, and the stories of further past help you understand my urgency in dealing with these creatures." Having relived the events, Gridia grows silent as he steps away from the water to begin washing his clothing.

[Fritz]

"Sal and I were rescued from Lone Star together. We had not met prior to the night of our escape."

"When Sal mentioned an interest in heading to Castle Refuge, I decided to join him."

"We have been on the road to Refuge now for several weeks."

Mission Objectives

It took Fritz a number of months to positively ID Sal. Asking questions about himself or his previous assignments, just got Fritz a large smile and a discussion on the best local cheese brands.

[Gridia Thorem]

"Sal and I were rescued from Lone Star together. We had not met prior to the night of our escape."

"When Sal mentioned an interest in heading to Castle Refuge, I decided to join him."

"We have been on the road to Refuge now for several weeks."

Mission Objectives

It took Fritz a number of months to positively ID Sal. Asking questions about himself or his previous assignments, just got Fritz a large smile and a discussion on the best local cheese brands.

"Quite the journey! How fortunate for you both that you are capable of surviving such a trip. I'm sure you gained your own experiences along the way, more than you've already shared of course. I know it was the trip to Mashville that burned the value of my protection spell into my memory." Gridia says, impressed by the rigors the two must have faced. "You should both like it there, at Refuge. They're one of the more noble groups of this world." The elf gets side tracked. "OH I know!" He pulls out a candy from his pack. "I save these for situations where I want to dull my oral and nasal senses!" Gridia says as he displays a red candy shaped like a precious gem. It's not entirely opaque, but has a cloudy translucence to it. Anyone close enough might recognize the smell of cinnamon. Gridia tosses two into his mouth and a calm expression appears over his face.

[Miles RAD Radoslav]

Apart from the others, Sir William sat in lotus position, a faint blue glow of psionic energy surrounding him as he meditated. His battle skills had served him and the Legion well today. They had not come without effort...

"Again!" snapped Sir Nobilis to the line of students. Each brought their wooden practice swords around in a flourish, raising them overhead and then bringing them slashing down in front of them, drawing their arms in as they did to practice the slicing motion needed to cleave armor and flesh. "Again!" he repeated, and weary arms raised swords again to cut down. "Good," nodded Sir Nobilis. "William, Arawn, here." He gestured for the two candidates, one human and one Quick-Flex, to step forward.

"It's time to put your practice to use. This exercise is known as 'One Step Sparring'. One of you will make a single attack and stop; the other will counter the attack. Then you will reverse. Arawn, you will attack first. On my command - strike!"

The Quick-Flex trainee brought his sword around in a high horizontal cut to the head. William misread the attack, expecting a vertical cut like they had practiced, and Arawn's blade clipped him across the temple. He fell to the ground, clutching his head, as blood oozed around his fingers.

"Where were your eyes, novice?" barked Sir Nobilis. "Not on your opponent, clearly. Get up and try again."

William struggled to his feet, his left eye weeping a bit and blood streaming down his face. He took up the guard position again. Not this time, Arawn. he thought. Arawn attacked again, this time with a rising diagonal cut, one of the most difficult to parry. Rage filled Sir William, and he stepped deliberately into the attack, feeling the blade crash into his thigh as he punched the hilt of his sword into Arawn's nose. Arawn reeled back and collapsed, and William fell to one knee, his injured leg throbbing.

"Again with the anger," said Sir Nobilis. "A Cyber Knight is a warrior, but he must be at peace in himself. Only in calm will you find victory. Get to the infirmary, both of you, and William - you're on latrine detail for the next two weeks."

William's face flushed red. I will master my emotions. And I will be the greatest swordsman the Cyber Knights have ever seen one day.

Sir William let the memory fade. The occupation of the Castle by forces of evil touched him deeply, and he saw the potential for his emotions to get the better of him. I will master my emotions, he thought again. Battle is coming.

[Leethe]

Leethe disappears during the night with all her gear.

[Kaja Earthblooded]

As L.C. helps Brison clean both of their power armors, he can't help but think of some of the early exercises he endured in the orphanage.

"Good, if you can hold that for the next fifteen minutes, I'll let you have some free time after dinner. If not, you'll be back here until you manage the full 30 minutes." Involuntary groans escaped their mouths of the four of them currently holding themselves up in a lotus position 3 feet above the ground with their telekinesis. Anyone who lost their concentration or ran out of ISP would fall onto the cement floor. If you fell twice, you had to do the exercise upside down instead. It was grueling, meant to test and build their psychic endurance. They'd been doing this self inflicted torture for the last two weeks. Psychic skills utilized until you ran out of ISP, and then meditation to rebuild it, and then repeat all day long. The only break was mandatory educational classes in a wide variety of subjects, including history, tactics, advanced mathematics, and more.

Brison, for his part, is replaying the battle in his mind. He feels more mobile and able to avoid incoming fire. "You know, I went through air combat school same as I'm sure you did, but they did not cover that kind of environment in training. No training like experience I guess, right?" He grins and L.C. nods. "No doubt," answers the psychic. "But I'm sure you had that kind of education pretty young, considering how you grew up." Brison had told L.C. about his past on the streets, and how he got his position not on anything but sheer moxie and ability. "Dodging knife attacks isn't quite the same as Zit claws and blades, but yeah, you're not wrong," Brison answers.

Advancement Note: LC gains Extra Power Points at Heroic 4 and Brison gains Dodge