[IC] Worlds of Fire

[Totem]

Originally Posted by Lamech

OOC: I was under the impression we misplaced some cultist too...[/COLOR]

Okay, breakdown of groups:
> Seann, Charles and Ehrahm went off to find the Angel.
> Douglas and Mark accompanied the group of locals to the pick-up point. The locals are John, Father Arad, James (who counts as a cultist, sort of), and Sara.
> Douglas and Mark may go back to catch up with the other three if they want to (John clearly has no interest in doing so, see below).

Originally Posted by Lamech

Also two of our team decided to chase down an Angel for some reason. No clue why. I wouldn't want that thing paying any more attention to me than it already was...

Saul seems concerned by this and looks off into the distance for a minute before looking back at John. "I've got a report here about something to do with an Angel; something about it being avoided." He sighs heavily. "You know, you CI agents get all of the fun jobs running off into situations like that... I've got orders to follow that warning; you guys can go back to help if you want, but we've got no sign of anything in the base, and orders to steer clear of anything related to it until we've got some proper information." He gestures to the flares again. "Exit's this way gentlebeings."

[OOC: if Douglas and Mark want to go back to catch up with Seann and the others, then they can do so now and will arrive in time for the stuff that has already happened. Otherwise they can go up to the Bane with John and the others. Please indicate your choice (and feel free to join in with the plot at the bunker immediately if you want).]

[KS Pathfinder]

Mark-315 ponders Saul-867’s words and the option of going to meet up with Seann and the others and remarks aloud. “Orders are orders... But, we came as a team and we should leave as a team...”

Ponders briefly again and remarks to Serena. “Serena, can you raise Seann and the others on the comm.? Tell them what we’ve been told and that they should get back here and at all costs don’t engage the Angel.”

Serena’s disembodied voice replies. “Roger that, I’ll give it a shot. Let’s hope they’re listening.”

[Totem]

Originally Posted by KS Pathfinder

Ponders briefly again and remarks to Serena. “Serena, can you raise Seann and the others on the comm.? Tell them what we’ve been told and that they should get back here and at all costs don’t engage the Angel.”

This needs to be resolved before I can move either end of this onwards.

[Talosian]

A tiny radio connected to Seann's glasses beeps once to inform him that he has an incoming message.

“Serena, can you raise Seann and the others on the comm.? Tell them what we’ve been told and that they should get back here and at all costs don’t engage the Angel.”

Serena’s disembodied voice replies. “Roger that, I’ll give it a shot. Let’s hope they’re listening.”

"Mark, Serena, I have no intention of engaging the Angel. It's already demonstrated how bad of an idea that would be. Nonetheless, it stood there without intervening the whole time, and I want to see if it's changed it's mind about saying anything. Charles and I will be out right after you." Pistol drawn, Seann advances carefully into the bunker, keeping an eye out for any cultists who aren't quite done fighting.

[Totem]

Originally Posted by Talosian

"Mark, Serena, I have no intention of engaging the Angel. It's already demonstrated how bad of an idea that would be. Nonetheless, it stood there without intervening the whole time, and I want to see if it's changed it's mind about saying anything. Charles and I will be out right after you." Pistol drawn, Seann advances carefully into the bunker, keeping an eye out for any cultists who aren't quite done fighting.

The bunker is largely deserted, aside from a handful of cultists who have, one way or another, stopped where they are. At least a couple of them look like suicides, while most of the others are just sitting quietly crying or whimpering to themselves; if disturbed they tend to attack violently, and then break off and collapse sobbing at the first failed attack. Beyond that the fight seems to have gone out of all of them.

If you investigate it, the route that was sealed off, the one which the cultists had an unimpeeded line of attack down, is now unsealed. There was a heavy blast door that your group had successfully closed and locked in place so that it would be impossible for the cultists to get through. Now the door is not only open, but rusted in place and clearly hasn't been moved since the bunker was abandoned.

The Angel is still where he was at the end of the fight. Despite the gouges in the floor and walls from the Demons getting overexcited, he's standing there completely untouched like they didn't even realise he was there; even the walls and floor around him are untouched.

The Angel glances up at your approach, smiles quizzically, and then goes back to staring upwards. Something about his attitude suggests that it isn't the ceiling that he's interested in. On a successful IQ check read the following:

Spoiler:  

Following the Angel's gaze and thinking about it for a few seconds suggests a thought. A brief conversation with the Bane of Asgard is enough to discover that the ship is in the right place to be what the Angel is looking at. Given that they are holding a geostationary orbit thirty five thousand kilometres above your location, that's quite a trick.

Those who go straight up to the Bane of Asgard (John and the other locals, plus maybe Douglas and Mark unless they catch up with Seann's group) do so by stepping beyond the line of flares. A couple of Sentinels join you there and one of them holds a brief conversation with the ship. Then...

Nothing really happens. There's maybe a visual flicker, but it's nothing more disturbing than blinking unexpectedly. It's so lacking in drama that it can actually take a couple of seconds to realise that anything has happened and that you've moved at all.

You find yourself standing in a room rather than the woods. The room is well lit (part of the surprise about having moved is that there was no apparent need for your eyes to adjust to the new lighting level) and all of the surfaces are covered with grey-blue metal panels. The floor is mostly lined with some kind of gridwork, possibly for improved traction; the third of it next to the door is lined with more conventional deck plating. Several runes and sigils are inscribed onto the walls around the room [Magery: John can see that there is something magical about these], which looks like it is intended purely for embarkation and debarkation through the teleporters in this manner.

One sign of this is that by the time you realise that you've moved and look down at the floor there is already a coarse mist withdrawing into the floor, having apparently cleaned all of the dirt off everyone's shoes. As doormats go, that's quite effective.

A number of people are standing around by the door. Two of them are Sentinels, another two appear to be humanoid robots with a decidedly Roman legionaire style to their appearance (the short sword, quarterstaff and vambrace mounted energy shield help the image), and there is what appears to be a humanoid (and human-sized) rabbit wearing an equipment vest and cargo shorts, and with a large pistol holstered on his belt. All of them are watching your group with interest, and perhaps a hint of wariness.

Another person walks into the room; he's wearing a uniform that is mostly dark blue with some silver and gold highlights to it. It looks fairly practical, as if this might actually have some purpose besides being a uniform [OOC: it does, starting with a shield emitter webbing and inertial dampener]. There are some pips on the collar that probably indicate rank, a couple of patches indicating the ship and the Western Harbour on his right sleeve, and a series of barcode strips running down his left sleeve which probably mean something if you know what to look for.

"So, you finally made it this far," he says with a slightly cynical edge. "Most of you anyway... I'm captain Mancini, welcome to the Bane of Asgard." After introductions have been made he continues. "My orders are to ensure that all of your get checked out medically and give a full account of your part in this mess. The Sentinels will take you to deal with that but before you go I have to insist that you leave any weapons in the lockers." He indicates one wall which seems to melt backwards and allow several lockers to become visible. "I'm not having you carrying around random weapons that I don't know about; you can leave them here until you disembark."

[KS Pathfinder]

Mark-315 looks around the room they’ve been transported to, his head cocked slightly, physically indicating he seems apparently suitably impressed by the ship, as well as feeling completely calm about being on said ship having obviously travelled aboard space vessels before.

Raising an eyebrow at the robots Roman-age styling, Mark-315’s gaze lingers on the two Sentinel-V’s the most taking in their armour differences and comparing them against his own, wondering what enhancements and advances have been made during his absence, to both armour and soldier wearing said armour. Mark-315 then catches sight of their other onlooker, raising an eyebrow at the fact that he appears to be a human-sized humanoid rabbit but seems nonplussed by that fact, especially after witnessing different universes firsthand himself.

Mark-315 continues to look at everyone in the room behind his helmets visor until Captain Mancini enters the room and years of being a soldier kicks in and he can’t help but remove his helmet, hold it under the crook of his left elbow and salute smartly, standing to attention, waiting for Captain Mancini to relay his instructions before introducing himself more properly. “Lieutenant Warfield, Mark-315, Sentinel-IV, Confederation Special Operations Division, Nova Team, MIA during operations near Shield Base, Planet North-West, reporting as ordered.”

Serena’s diminutive holographic image appears once more, this time standing to attention and saluting on Mark-315’s shoulder to Captain Mancini as well, to which Mark-315 gestures and introduces her. “And this is Serena, my Overwatch-AI partner.”

[ErhnamDJ]

Douglas takes a step just for the sake of taking a step, then takes his sunglasses off and places them carefully in their ancient buckskin holder. "Howdy," he says. "Can I get some coffee?"

Then, at being disarmed: "Can't I just unload 'em?"

[Lamech]

Originally Posted by ErhnamDJ

Douglas takes a step just for the sake of taking a step, then takes his sunglasses off and places them carefully in their ancient buckskin holder. "Howdy," he says. "Can I get some coffee?"

Then, at being disarmed: "Can't I just unload 'em?"

John takes out and stores his gun, and ammo in the lockers.
What would be the point of unloaded weapons then? Also this is a nice place.

[ErhnamDJ]

Originally Posted by Lamech

What would be the point of unloaded weapons then? Also this is a nice place.

"Last time I gave up something it was my boots. Put them under a bed I was sleepin' in. I woke up a half hour later with the cabin on fire. I grabbed my belt and my bag, but my boots got left behind. I had to walk sixty miles back to town. Now, who's to say lightning don't strike this thing the same as happened with that cabin I was in?"

[Lamech]

Originally Posted by ErhnamDJ

"Last time I gave up something it was my boots. Put them under a bed I was sleepin' in. I woke up a half hour later with the cabin on fire. I grabbed my belt and my bag, but my boots got left behind. I had to walk sixty miles back to town. Now, who's to say lightning don't strike this thing the same as happened with that cabin I was in?"

I suppose, except I don't think lighting can strike all the way up here.