Endgame

"Well, this thing looks like it packs a bunch," Decker grimaces, before rushing forward. He had no other options and no other weapons - he had to throw himself into the jaws of the beast, just hopefully not literally... Decker moves to C4 and swings at the gator.

"Yeah, maybe. The storm clouds literally never dissipate on this planet, as far as I can tell." "Not as well armed as you guys, that's for sure! Mostly just business people. The ones too far down the corporate ladder to afford the nice shuttles with extra leg room," Kayarr laughs. "Friendly? Oh, I'm not dropping you off in a warzone, if that's what you mean. We're landing at Dock B in the Innovations District. It should be connected right to the building your employer works out of. Glenn Whathisface, or whatever it was. Now, the city ain't exactly always sanitary, and all the folk you meet there won't be all sunshine and rainbows, but it's really no more or less safe than Ebria. ...This neck of town, anyway..."

Decker realizes that standing with your head over the shoreline is likely a poor idea and retreats a few steps back. Figuring the beast could perhaps be flanked, he intends to retreat to A3, knowing that he would be fast enough to cross the snow and attack if the Gator tried crawling out through the inlet of water.

MM Note: Thanks for the heads up! Soren's stats are now fixed. "Probably a dozen landings or so. Lots of hustle and bustle at the Savior City. First time I ever saw that happen, though..."

[[This mission and thread is intended for chosen participants only. If you're interested in joining the game, please check out the Rules & FAQ topic pinned in this subforum!]] Four agents were en route to Corvanis aboard the Initium. It wasn't the fastest vessel, nor the most luxurious, and certainly not the most fuel efficient, but hopefully the craft would do. The lack of bells and whistles was tempered by the majesty of the vastness of space... stars and planetoids scroll by, the occasional freighter dreadnought visible in the horizon. It was common for ships to come and go along this particular neck of the galaxy; the agents' destination, Corvanis, had recently re-invented itself as what the planet's oligarchs called a "stronghold of commerce." The only sound besides the purr of engines was the whistling of the vessel's droid pilot. For an AI written in deadcode, his manufacturer made him rather lively in nature. "You're all so quiet," the droid remarks. His voice modulator sounded partially damaged, making his speech scratchy and bitcrushed but otherwise perfectly audible. "I'm not driving you guys to like, a funeral, am I? That would be a big downer." The droid points his arm to a display as the vessel nears planetfall. On it was a zoomed in view of The Savior City, new capital city of Corvanis. The city was dense and vertical, buildings practically stacked upon each other. A grid of transportation infrastructure ran through the city unopposed, cleaving whole districts in two sometimes. The city's productivity came before all else; a sentiment felt by all who lived in the shadows cast by a myriad skyscrapers. The fact that there was any city at all was rather impressive, considering what had happened not even half a lifetime ago in this particular system. Storm clouds rumble over and around the city, crackling but yielding no rain. "I assume something or other is bringing you to the city, uh-huh? Now, landing has always been a pain in the rear ever since the Gate Collapse did a number on the atmosphere, but..." In that moment, one of the screens the droid pilot was hisses to life, bursting static before returning to normal operational use. " .. / .- .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- / .. .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- ...- .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- / .-.. .-.-.- .-.-.- .-.-.- . " The droid looks back at the party, confused. "Huh. This bucket of bolts is old, but I've never seen it do that before. Uh, not to worry, we should be able to land just fine. Console's back and I don't even need it anyway," the droid says pridefully. "We'll descend nice and easy and you'll be off doing heroics and whatever in no time." The Party: Maximilian Vetre (Alix)44 cycles old Male ElfCharacter Points: 0/10Vitality: 6/6Velocity: 2Strength: 3Skill: 2Smarts: 1Proficiencies: Explosives 2, Occult 1, Short Range Weapons 2Credits: 10Equipment: D-KA Carbine (Standard Kinetic Short Range Weapon), Rampart Kinetic Shield (Standard Kinetic Armor), Energy CellInventory: EmptyLocker: Empty Felix Mao (Khorne) 37 Cycles Old Male Chimeran Character Points: 0/13 Vitality: 5/5 Velocity: 3 Strength: 1 Skill: 2 Smarts: 2 Spirit: 2/2 Proficiencies: Short Range Weapons 2, Insight 1, Coding 2*, Survival 1, Occult 1 Known Spells: Illusory Clone, Spirit Ally Credits: 60 Equipment: 'Old Reliable' Plasma Handgun (Standard Short Range Energy Weapon), Hacking Chip Inventory: Plasma Potion (1x), Cloaking Generator, Adrenaline Decoction (2x), Bulking Stim Locker: Valesia (Waterbrick Down)110 Year Old Female CladrasithCharacter Points: 0/13Vitality: 3/5Velocity: 2Strength: 1Skill: 2Smarts: 1Spirit: 3/3Proficiencies: Insight 1, Medicine 1, Nature 3Known Spells: Elemental Evocation, Healing Light, Mystic Binding, Photonic ManipulationCredits: 65Equipment: Holo-scroll, Chef's Kit (Standard Kinetic Melee Weapon)Inventory: Ætherbrew, Essence of Precaution, Plasma Potion Locker: Soren Aeolus (The Legonater) 31-year-old male Human Character Points: 1/15 Vitality: 5 Velocity: 2 Strength: 1 Skill: 3 Smarts: 2 Spirit: 2 Proficiencies: Nature 1, Insight 1, Piloting 2, Short-Range Weapons 2 Spells: Elemental Evocation, Mystic Binding Equipment: MK-12 personal handgun (short-ranged calibrated energy weapon), Farsight Goggles, Hacking Chip, Plasma Potion Credits: 10 MM Note: @Alix, @The Legonater, @Khorne, @Waterbrick Down, hello and welcome to Mission 6! You guys have 24-36 hours to confirm. Feel free to make purchases in the bazaar, let me know if your stats are alright, check in and start RPing and we can start rolling! Alix, since this is your first mission, don't be afraid to ask questions- I'd be happy to answer anything you got.

(I'm allowed to boost my proficiencies mid-mission, right? I'd like to bump my Melee Weapons proficiency from 1 to 2, before we get gator'ed.) Decker peered over the water edge, wondering just what was about to jump out. "You guys think that loud noises would reel it in or spook it away? Either would be fine, actually, right?"

What do you mean, clearly that was the idea the whole time!!

Another transmission filters in, the display on the Mission Terminal updating to reflect decisions made... Chosen Agents For Mission Six Felix (Khorne) Valesia (WBD) Maximilian (Alix) Soren Aeolus (The Legonater) [[Mission Thread Up Within 24 Hours!]]

"A miracle, huh," Decker says, slapping his knee and standing up to survey the field. "Well, if we do... Nah, that would be no good. Oh, maybe that?" (Solution sent!)

"Hey, don't beat yourself up for it too much. We all made it out of there. Who knows, maybe that whole situation - how it was set up and all that - may help us make sense of stuff later..." "Lady, I hopped on a shuttle without even checking that my weapon had ammunition, I'm not the best at that kind of stuff."

Current Sign-Ups For Mission Six Varen (KotZ) Felix (Khorne) Valesia (WBD) Maximilian (Alix) Soren Aeolus (The Legonater) Sign-Ups close 10/3! Last call.

"Agreed." Decker says, holstering his gun. "Looks like it, yeah. Sorry for showing up late to the party, guys..." "Hey, woah, don't put out that fire yet." Decker says, walking over and holding out his hands to the burning wreckage. It was radiating sweet, sweet warmth. "Ah, toasty, much better." "I'm ready to leave when you folks are, aye."

I have to say, it's only been a couple of battles, but playing melee in H2.0. feels really good so far! That was my biggest concern back when I was running Mission 0, so I'm really happy to be having fun running around and bonking heads with Decker.

The Chopper lunges at Decker, but he sidesteps and brings the barrel of his gun crashing down towards the brute's neck. The hit connects and Decker's opponent crumples to the ground. Decker rolls his shoulder out and strides purposefully towards the remaining Hurler. "Listen, mate, ya can still tap out," Decker offers, a split second before he winds up to attack. Decker moves to E4 and strikes Hurler A.

"You guys holding up alright?" Decker says, concerned, looking over his companions. "Sigrun said to scamper." Decker waves through the crowd of his fellow heroes, moving to F6 to deliver a hefty blow to Chopper B.

"...Listen, Sigrun," Decker says, glancing nervously back and forth. "You're the Danger Avoidance expert here. I'm not takin' the rap if there's a second ambush waiting at the sled. But if you think I should be there..." Decker sighs, conflicted. By the gods, he didn't expect the work to be like this. In a moment of impulse he abandons the sled and runs into the fray. (I imagine this takes my action for the round, unless I get to choose a space to enter in from?)

Seeing a group of newcomers surround Enson and Polaris, Decker instinctively draws his gun, cocks the safety back and pulls the trig- "Oh god DAMMIT." Decker snarls, increasingly disappointed in himself. "Ronin! Someone's gotta protect Sigrun and the sled. Go help the others, I'll hold the fort here." Decker turns to Sigrun. "We paid extra for ya and didn't listen to ya when we had the chance. This one's on us." Decker says somberly. "But hey, you're in good hands, yeah?"

"You ever rode one before, a speeder bike? Serious question, I ain't too familiar. Things look like a right bastard to handle, but maybe it's easier than it looks." Decker shrugs. "Maybe the poor bastard's heart just gave out on him mid-joyride. Then again... what you suggest is probably more likely."

Decker vaults out of the sled on instinct, ready to rush through the snow, but stops when Enson only requests Polaris' assistance. "Well, Ronin, Aysu, looks like we're s'posed to be holding down the fort," Decker says, keeping his eyes locked anxiously on the scene playing out a hundred feet away. "Not a fan of this..."

Decker wanted to lend a hand, but Sigrun seemed to have everything pretty much under control. And so he just sat back until it was time to embark on the sleigh ride. Decker grits his teeth as the cold settles in, lifting his mask to puff warm air on his hands and rubbing them together. "Hey, where there's smoke there's fire, and I wouldn't be sayin' no to a little bit of warmth right now. I'm in."

"Y'know, I think I'm all set on the cocoa. I'll second Scjalftosten." Decker pats himself down, checking to make sure he had all he needed for the trip. He brushes off a little leftover slush and plucks off a stray feather from his shoulder armor.

"Same as it ever was, Gunnar. Thanks, Geomi." Decker crosses his arms. "Forgive me if my priorities aren't straight here, but is the hot cocoa for now or for when we're freezing our collective butts off in the tundra?"

Decker scans the group. "Hell. We dealt with the frost flappers easy enough, didn't we? We have enough power - Enson, you convinced me. I'm fine with Sigrun."

Decker slaps the side of his helmet. "Augh. I forgot all about the stipend thing, what with the excitement of the birds and all." He ponders their options for a moment. "Listen, I feel like Geomi only has a clue or two more about this planet than I do, and that ain't a good thing. Gunnar... I like the sound of this guy, but - well, there is no but really. I'm voting Gunnar, if only because I feel like a scrap or two is going to be inevitable out there. If conditions were normal, Sigrun all the way, but with those overly-confident Frost Hawks... There's somethin' foul goin' on 'round here."

"300 credits, that's-" "500, you gotta be kidding me here, you-" "400 credits?! That's - well, less than 500, actually, but I feel like I've never even made 400 credits total in my lifetime." Decker takes a step back and turns to his party. "Well, friends, I dunno about you, but I'm thinking a few things. One, this hero business is overrated, and we should definitely just become sled guides on this planet. We'd make a killing. Second of all, I'm not too sure if we even have 100 credits to our name combined. I currently got... carry the two... zero." Decker remarks glumly. "Think they'll take the feathers?"