Log:Attack of the Promethean, Scene 4
From Champions MUSH
| Advances Plot: | |
| Attack of the Promethean | |
| Previous Scene: | Next Scene: |
| Scene 3 | Scene 5 |
| Contains Appearances by: | |
| Amy, Bonker, CyberMage, Icon, Halfman, and | |
| Log Date: | |
| 10/01/2006 | |
Over the local television stations, a news bulletin appears: "This is Baraba Wawa with a breaking news story from Colonial Bay, Virginia. Let's go on site to correspondant Jessica Chang in the CBN News Van..."
"This is Jessica Chang aboard the CBN News Van with an exclusive report.... We're airborne over the Colonial Bay Docks where some kind of mechanical vehicle has climbed up from the ocean and is making it's way across docks and through the warehouse district. Let's see if we can get a closer look"
"The machine appears to be a robotic egg It's walking on three legs The bottom of the egg has what looks like a large eye Wait, it's looking at us, and the eye is starting to glow Mark, my pilot, is starting to take us away from it Oh my God, it's firing at us! It's Get us out of here...!"
Barbara Wawa responds. "Jessica... do everything you can to keep yourself and your crew safe. We'll come back to you once you've gotten to safety..."
CyberMage stops talking to a dock engineer regarding the modifications to her yacht as the laptop ever present where she is 'bings' and the on-going commentary is relayed. "Mmm... I think we're better continue this later. You ought to see to the safety of your workers. I need to find out what is happening and call in a few friends."
Granite thrumps on the docks after getting the all call for Starguard to show up. Running fast as possible for the bigger man to do."Im here chief..." Then looks up at the war machine. "Ohhh man...Looks like we have another egg to crack again."
Halfman, lucky him, has access to an open news feed 24/7. Hearing of the distressing news, he flips on the lights of his patrol car and drives down the docks. Upon arriving, he parks his car in the street to block off incoming traffic, and steps out.
Random Factor sighs inwardly. He'd only come to stare out towards Monkey Island, to get some insight, some revelation of how best to proceed, and now this. He leaps to his feet and and runs toward the machine as he fades to intangabilty, hoping the Promethean hasn't found or had a chance to come up with any new shielding.
Those arriving or already on hand will see a frigthening scene -- the walker robot standing amongst the warehouses. Its attention is occupied by the CBN New Van which is furious dodging left and right in the air as the walker fires bolts of blue energy at it. One stray blast hits the support of the one of the giant cranes. Eventually the luck of the news crew runs out as it two gets blasted and begins to descend in a slow circle to the ground.
Random Factor says, "Granite! If that crane falls, make sure to keep it off the civilians!"
The supports of the giant cargo crane begin to groan ominously.
Granite nods "Im on it, Chief." He says then runs to grab the crane keep the civilians safe. Putting his huge body between them to keep them as safe as possible with risk to his own form.
Seeming satisfied with disabling the flying news van, the walker begins to turn and step inland on it's spindly legs.
CyberMage moves to the closest location with a clearer view of the damaged helicopter and casts her Wall of Force spell to place a barrier between it and the robot.
Halfman watches the SGG run into action through his visor. A grimace is hidden by the high collar of his coat as he watches them save the news crew, but leave the rest of the docks, and themselves, open to attack. After a short moment, he broadcasts something short across the radio, then his arms fly out in front of him, twitching wildly. His voice seems to grow deeper as he speaks loudly in a strange tongue, his voice seeming to be two overlapping voices in one.
For those who can see it, a mental shot of lightning shoots out from Halfman's mind, hitting the robot, but not having any aparent affect. Halfman's arms stop twitching and he holds them in front of him for a moment, surprised and unhappy from his failure.
Random Factor scowls and fades back into solidity and launches himself into the air, flying towards the massive orb, then at the last minute fades back into insubstantiality and attempts to pass into the interior to see if it looks the same as before!
CyberMage cannot stop the news van from crashing. She can try to reduce the effect of the crash, letting the existing force wall fade away and creating a new weaker force wall beneath the falling van that will slow the rate of decent. Two hard bumps being less dangerous to the news crew than a single smashing impact.
The spiraling new van smashes into the CyberMage's mystical wall and breaks through it. The collision slows the van down somewhat, but the craft starts to pitch and roll unsteadily as the pilot tries to maintain control.
The people threatened by the crane are trying to clear the area, but it's mostly chaos - people are running all about unsure of what to flee: the robot, the crane, or the news van.
Granite catches the crane then looks at it for a moment. "Anyone think we can tie the big machine up with this cranes tow line to try and do a empire strikes back with it going around the legs of it?" Holding the crane up to make sure everyone is clear of it.
Three-legged War Machine begins to walk towards downtown, taking careful steps in this cluttered urban environment.
Meanwhile another police car shows up on scene, screeching to a halt next to Halfman's car. "Madre de Dios..." one of them says, getting out and surveying the scene.
Random Factor frowns, hoping to have found a better way, but then concentrating a moment he increases his bodies density to maximum and just begins slamming into anything that looks like it may be important.
CyberMage sees the difficulties the pilot has in maintaining control after her first attempt to slow the crash speed down so this time she casts the spell to give the pilot a place to land before the falling velocity builds up to a dangerous level again by creating the wall at full strenght beneath the van.
Random Factor scowls and fades back into solidity and launches himself into the air again, flying once more towards the war machine, then at the last minute resolidifes and THEN some as he kicks his DI into full gear and tries to rip off one of it's legs to keep it from going further, or at least to try to hold on and anchor it with his weight.
The news van crashes on the impromptu landing strip, bouncing once and then grinding to a stop.
Three-legged War Machine tries to shake it's leg free of Random Factor's grasp.
The War-Machine can't manage to throw Random off.
Halfman watches as Random Factor holds the machine in place. Deciding that that should work well enough for the moment, he concentrates on the halted news van. His arms stretch forward, his clawed hands stretching out from his coat sleeves. He once again begins speaking in the odd double tongue as his arms move in front of him in wide, fluid swings. He attempts to pull the doors of the newsvan open.
The doors of the news van fly open.
Granite hurls the crane towards the robot to get it off its feet. Aiming to hit the eye in case it decides to unload its heavy artillery to try and take it out.
The robot looks towards the incoming crane. It's iris winks shut as the cabing part of the crane strikes it. It rocks back slightly with the impact, but manages to stay upright. It emerges from the collision unscathed. However the crane falls to the crowd and crushes a semi truck cab. Thankfully, no one was inside of it.
Random Factor continues his attempt to rip off a leg. "Awwwww. Come on! Don't go away mad! In fact, how about sitting and chatting for a while?"
The's robot's leg attached firmly, but it begins to give slightly under Random's strength;
Random Factor says, "Hey Granite! Get over here and help me make a wish!"
CyberMage maintains the Wall of Force and opens a Dimensional portal that allows her to step up onto the wall beside the van. "Good afternoon. I see you have become a part of the news rather than passive reporters of it. But I'm sure you'll be happy to get your feet back down on the ground. Just be patient for a few seconds and that will happen."
Jessica Chang looks to CyberMage and nods slowly. "Oh, thank you..." She and her news team look dazed and shaken up, but generally alright.
CyberMage says, "It's a pleasure to be able to assist, Ms Chang. I'm a great fan of your reporting. I monitor it constantly to keep in touch with what's happening in the city."
Three-legged War Machine blinks its eye open and looks down at Random, who's grabbing it's leg. The eye glows blue, just before unleashing a bolt of energy.
Halfman decides that the SGG female has the news crew under control, and he turns his attention to the giant robot. He watches as it shoots a laser out of its eye, then he glances around. Spotting some nearby canvas that covers some crates, he once again begins to swing his arms in wide, fluid motions, and he speaks in his double-tongue. The tarp flies towards the robot's eye.
Granite jumps up from the crowds to nearby warehouses to use them to get closer to the robot and Random to do the "Make a wish for humanity." on the egghead robot
Random Factor strains once more, still trying to stop the robot on a more than momentary basis, so he and the others can put it out of commission permananetly!!
CyberMage warns Ms Chang and the others, "Slight jolt coming. Brace yourselves." and Creates a new Wall of Force a fraction of an inch beneath the one she allows to fade away. This wall however is part of a bubbles centered on her and thus movable so she gently lowers it to ground level over the new few seconds.
Three-legged War Machine lowers it's main trunk and stares directly at Random. It tries to unleash another blast of energy at Random from its eye.
The robot's blast is wide.
Random Factor continues straining, trying to remove the things leg to immobilize it!
Random Factor says, "Come on you ugly SOB! I need a new trophy for the Random Cave!!"
Random Factor feels it give a little more. Not exactly what he'd hoped for, but at least it's still not moving inland!
Halfman decides that the SGG has the robot handled, and begins to coordinate the evacuation and emergency protocols. He radios several things through his visor.
Icon floats from the sky, looking at the event below. He concentrates cloaking his body in a protective field of psychokinetic energy. A purple aura flickers around him, and then a sphere begins to take shape. He pauses to figure out his next action.
CyberMage Smiles at Ms Chang, "We can go down to the ground and safety, or up to the roof or a warehouse for a better view with an added risk factor. What is your preference?"
Jessica says, "Down... please." She obvious seems rattled still.
CyberMage opens a dimensional portal and invites the news crew to step through with her to the safety of the ground and in a location out of the line of fire of any stray blasts.
The crew follows CyberMage through the portal.
Granite does another leap after landing on the warehouse to land near the robot where he can grab the other leg to grab it after he lands.
Three-legged War Machine flicks it's leg, the once that Random is holding onto towards a parked truck, aiming to use the vehicle to scrape the hero off of it's leg.
Icon pauses and reaches out to find a mind, or something. He thinks o O (Robots, most annoying).
Icon sighs a bit, o O (Robots... well time to save innocents.)
CyberMage moves to a point where she can see the war machine. Opening the cybernetically enhanced part of her consciousness that she normally keeps closed down she scans it for any and all forms of communications, recording and analyzing any she can detect.
Three-legged War Machine flails its captures leg, trying to raise it up and slam it back down -- with Random beneath it.
CyberMage stares at the war machine with fixed gaze.
The robot slams its foot down. Fortunately, Random is not caught beneath it.
Amy,arriving by chance from the maglev onto the scene of screaming people running from the War machine, isn't sure quite what the big thingee is. (Though she seems oddly unsurprised to see such a thing.) It doesn't look friendly, but she likes to be sure - it could even be alive. So she shouts "Hey, is that like some kind of evil robot?" while sending it some bad luck motes that won't hurt it if it turns out she's wrong.
The robot tries to balance itself after trying to squash Random Factor. It steps backwards and acccidently crushes a parked car beneath it. It's foot gets stuck in the car.
Halfman decides the emergency efforts are set good enough concentrates on a peice of canvas that has fallen near the robot. His arms begin to swing in wide, fluid motions in front of him towards the canvas, and his voice deepens and speaks in an odd tongue; it sounds as though there are two voices overlapping in his one. The canvas lifts up into the air towards the robot's eye.
The robot manages to pull its eye free from the tarp with a strong jerk of its ovoid body.
Random Factor says, "This is.... UNGH... EXACTLY like... UNF... an evil robot, Amy!!" as he strugles to remain in place. "WOAH, NELLY!""
Amy looks about for a something she can use as an actual weapon, then, if it's just a robot. She's got nothing against hurting robots.
Random Factor continues to struggle. He'd rather just be beatting on the thing, but he's afraid to let it go to make it further into the city, so he strains once more. Besides, it has to give SOMETIME! After all, he's one of the GOOD GUYS! And it's weakening. He can feel it!!
Random Factor can feel it give a little more as it creaks and moans while he grunts and groans!
Icon looks around, floating upwards into the sky, searching for something of use.
CyberMage links into the war machine's computation system that's interfaced with her cybernetic consciousness and starts giving it a cold; or more exactly a rather nasty little virus or two.
Sorry, there is no +CHART for that. Valid arguments of +CHART are:
CyberMage isn't fully used to the alien computational structure but she's making headway and increasingly convinced she can get the robot under control. The only question, of course, is how long with it take.
Icon looks over and finds something of use. He reaches out and with his mind attempts to grab a propane tank, down below on a flatbed truck. He smiles and looks back at his final target.
Amy gets the idea that stopping the robot moving is important and tries to give the robot bad luck in that respect, firing more motes at its legs
Halfman continues to swing his arms and speak in his alien double-tongue. The flying tarp continues to try to block the Three-Legged Warmachines eye.
As the bad-luck motes reach it the War Machine's legs start displaying an odd tic as the virus happens upon a weak point in the programming - not enough to immobilise it, but enough to slow it.
The tarp connects again, but slides off. Halfman curses under his breath.
Random Factor can feel it weakening, and steels himself. It hasn't hurt anyone so far, and isn't going anywhere. So far, so good!
Icon glances back at the robot, and the apperture. He shrugs, and then with his mental will hurls the propane tank at the robot.
Icon shrugs a bit, and thinks o O (Hmmm, I need a bigger one next time, or perhaps two tanks...)
CyberMage leaves the implanted viri to slowly continue doing their work and switches tack, now modifying the code running on the robot's hardware.
Icon smiles a bit as the fiery explosion has a nice look to it. He nods and says quietly, "That is quite pretty, c'est vrai..." and looks back to his ammo pile.
CyberMage stands looking at the robot with her laptop open in her hands and her face flickeringly illuminated in greens and reds by fast flashing graphics and code listings appearing and vanishing on the laptop's screen at a blinding rapid rate.
Three-legged War Machine looks around at the multiple targets that have presented themselves. It returns it's gaze to Random Factor, and again tries to extricate itself from his grip.
Random Factor grunts.
Amy keeps trying to give this thing's legs bad luck! "This robot looks kind of tough - where did it come from?"
As Amy blasts the robot again it actually stumbles a little! Something seems to be severelt wrong with its leg control.
Random Factor snarls. "Sometimes... life's SIMPLY pleasures are the best! Time to crack a bad egg!" He graons and tries to lift the thing over his head, and holding on by the leg, slam it back down onto the pavement at it's wear side armor. "BAM! BAM-BAMM!!"
The side of the robot that slams into the ground, flattens and crumples, cracking in some places. Bits of its internal working are visible through the distored seams.
Halfman says, "@emit The tarp flies down towards the ground where the egg crashed and attempts to cover it once again. Halfman continues to swing his arms and speak in his double-tongue."
The tarp wraps around the robot's eye.
Icon looks down to the flatbed truck, for a repeat performance. He glances for a larger fuel tank, then decides to try again.
Icon reaches out with his mind and hurls again.
Icon shakes his head and looks over towards the cargo crane, the fiery explosion lighting up the area for a bit. He looks over to a fuel tanker, then smiles broadly. o O (Ahh, it'll be a masterpiece.)
CyberMage continues her efforts, standing as still as a statue as her face reflects the dancing code and UML graphics displayed at an increasingly rapid speed on the screen of her laptop.
Three-legged War Machine , lying on its side, lifts a free leg to try and pic it into Random's grip, seeking to loosen it.
Random Factor smiles finally, as it seems the sides are QUITE A BIT weaker than the ends, and now that the area is sufficiently cleared, he again lifts the giant ovid over his head and slams it down into the ground! "Humpty Dumpty, came to my town! Humpty Dumpty pushed us around! Now all the kings horses and all the kings men, are going to sweep Humpty into a heap and haul him to the garbage dump!!
Random Factor brings the egg down one more time with a resounding THUDD and it finally, FINALLY stops moving. He stands there for a moment, bent over, his hands on his knees as he catches his breath for a moment. "OK, so it didn't rhyme. So SUE me." Then he looks up and gets back down to business, making sure everyone is alright.
Amy comes closer. "Is it broken?"
Icon floats down to the nearest rooftop, to overlook the area.
Random Factor says, "GOD I hope so."
CyberMage stumbles to her knees gasping as the robot is smashed by Randon. The display on her laptop breaks up into meaningless static and random symbols.
As if answering the questions, the robot thrashes it's limbs briefly, before dropping still again.
Amy says, "What was that? How come it was attacking the city? It was attacking the city, right?"
Halfman radios in the successful takedown of the robotic menace, and calls in paramedics and clean-up crews. He walks over towards the broken robot as he does so.
Random Factor nods. "You head about the aliens on Monkey Island? Again?"
Amy says, "Huh? Uh-uh. The monkeys are in trouble? We've got to help them!"
Random Factor says, "We're sure trying!"
CyberMage rises slowly to her feet and walks over to Random. "It seems that someone, or something, is aware you are trying. The purpose of the war machine's visit to the city was to eliminate you personally and then evaluate the resistance that Starguard could put up."
Amy grins. "I guess you showed you could resist them!"
Random Factor rolls his eyes. "If I'd have known THAT, I coulda just led the darned thing back out to sea!"
When he gets to the robot, and the surrounding heroes, Halfman looks over to the heroes. "Thanks for your help, Starguard. I wonder if you would like any help with whatever this Monkey Island business is."
Amy says, "How come it wanted to kill you?"
Random Factor nods to Halfman. "Help is ALWAYS appreciated! I suspect he is tagetting me as the head of SGG. We've encountered them once before, on Monkey Island, and put a crimp in their plans, but there's still much more to do. They've established a foothold there, and we need to dig them out!"
Amy says, "Are there a lot of robots?"
Icon floats upwards, and into the sky.
Icon leaves Docks and enters Boardwalk.
Random Factor says, "We're not sure. We took out one like this last time, and another, smaller one."
Halfman says, "Well, if they are attacking the city, I'm sure I'll be allowed to go help you. Do you need the body up at Starguard, or do you want us to take care of it down here? I know you have a few more resources than we do."
Random Factor says, "We should probably take it to Starguard HQ, to compare it to the one we already have there."
Amy says, "Uh-huh, I'll help too, except I've got to go now, and I didn't really mean to get off at this stop anyway and I'm only here by accident."
Random Factor grins. "A lucky accident."
Amy says, "i guess so - anyway, see you!"
Amy hurries off again.
Random Factor waves.
Halfman splits off and goes to help coordinate whats left of the police operations.
