Log:Check...

From Champions MUSH

Advances Plot:
None
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Log:Black King's Gambit	Log:...And Mate!
Contains Appearances by:
Guardian, Jolt, Kibin, Lorelei, Sable
Log Date:
08/31/2008

Lorelei says, "Ok, thanks for coming, I was hoping there would be a few more, but..."

Lorelei says, "I didn't want to say over HeroNet or anything just in case, but we've found out where they're holding my father - in a castle in the north of Ireland, County Antrim."

Jolt says, "Thats a pretty long way from here"

Sable says, "In Ireland?"

Lorelei nods.

Mystique nods.

Sable nods slightly. "Do we know why they are holding him or what resources they have available?"

Lorelei says, "Mystique may be able to tell you more... There's also a question of whether they're all there. I supposed to be checking in at a hotel in London by their instructions - it may be some of them will be in London."

Lorelei says, "We can be sure of eight henchmen though, I think, the 'pawns'."

Lorelei says, "We know that there are guards at the castle, but whether these are the same people as the pawns I don't know."

Mystique nods and takes up the story for a moment. "The general layout of the castle is a traditional H shape. More of a fortified keep than atrue castle. The west wing is residences and such. East wing is Hangar, Gym, Garage, Gun Range. Center is Kitchen, Dining Area, Library. Basement is laboratory, where Quentin is working on something. Also there is a sickly old man. All in all there are 11 people on the grounds: 8 security staff, old man, red-headed girl who might be Brigid, and Quentin.

Lorelei says, "Pawns, King, Queen? Maybe,"

Mystique says, "The Rooks, Knights, and Bishops were not obviously on site but that cannot be assumed to remain the case. The Bishops were effectively dealt with by Ms Jolt. Likewise the Rooks. But they can be replaced."

Kibin listens, trying to remember most of this stuff.

Jolt nods some "Great more getting hit by them lasers" she grumbles

Sable nods again. "Do the minions have any susceptibilities or weaknesses we should be aware of?

Lorelei says, "Well, with any luck we'll be taking them by surprise this time."

Lorelei says, "We don't really know anything about the pawns except that they're the ones who physically abducted dad. They had armour, but I think we have to assume they're normals unless it proves otherwise."

Jolt shrugs at Sable "Don't know but they seem to fry just as good as consumer grade electronics last time they were encountered. Maybe they're not gonna be expecting me to come all the way to Ireland with you all"

Mystique says, "Talking of which, Ms Lorelei. Given a few second to prepare and cast spells I can determine where everyone is in the castle and take up to three others with me direction to where your father is being held."

Sable nods.

Mystique says, "Talking of which, Ms Lorelei. Given a few seconds to prepare and cast spells I can determine where everyone is in the castle and take up to three others with me directly to where your father is being held."

Sable says, "That sounds like a very good start. I can sneak in with a good chance of not being detected I should think"

Lorelei says, "That should be a great help!"

Jolt nods some "And most places usually have some sort of underground access of sorts"

Kibin says, "I can probably sneak in as well, I think."

Sable says, "Is there anything else to discuss? The sooner we strike the more likely we are to preserve surprise"

Mystique says, "Ms Sable, might I impose on your generosity for the loan of three Safeguard communication devices. It may be helpful if I'm in communication with others at the castle."

Lorelei says, "I agree - besides, we have to do this before I'm expected at the hotel."

Mystique nods to Jolt, "I should be able to determine if there are any sercet ways in or out."

Sable says, "It would be my pleasure to provide them.. We can get them on our way to the transmat."

Lorelei says, "Right - well, let's get moving then. Unless anyone has any other thoughts?"

Jolt nods some and asks "Do you got any that wont fry around me?"

Sable says, "I'm not sure, we can try"

Mystique says, "If you could give this to Guardian." She makes a note on her PDA and hands it to Lorelei. "I am unwilling to pass through TransMat. So Guardian must travel with you to Ireland and then summon me."

Lorelei nods. "Will do."

Mystique vanishes being replaced by a heroine in red white and blue.

Guardian looks around, "Huh?"

Sable says, "Hey Guardian, we're going to Ireland via transmat so that Mystique can beat up on the people who abducted Lorelei's Dad"

Lorelei says, "Hey Guardian. Here, Mystique left a message for you."

Lorelei passes the PDA back to Guardian. "Sorry, I guess this is a bit sudden for you!"

Guardian says, "So Mystique can.. huh. What's wrong with me? She's been taking way more than her share of time recently."

Guardian reads the note on the PDA and scowls.

Sable folds her hands in front of her.

Lorelei frowns. "Sorry, that may be my fault. Or rather, the fault of the person who kidnapped dad."

Jolt peers at the communicator she was given and tries it out "Hey cool, its working"

Guardian sighs, "Okay, I see from this you need her spells. But someone tell her she owes me about twenty hours."

Lorelei nods. "I'll be sure to do that."

The heroes make there way out to County Antrim, to the edge of the MacKenna Castle grounds.

Guardian summons Mystique.

Mystique says, "I must be within about half this distance before I can walk across via the planes."

Lorelei nods. "We'll have to sneak closer then.

Mystique looks for any cover or concealed approaches.

The majority of the terrain around the castle is lightly wooded, which clears away to lawns in the immediate vicinity of the castle itself.

Lorelei says, "Let's go, then."

Mystique stops about quarter a mile from the castle. "This is close enough for me. Who will be coming with me when I mist walk to where Ms Lorelei's father is held?"

Sable says, "I would think that I am perh"

Sable says, "perhaps the most likely to succeed at sneaking in using mundane powers"

Kibin replies, "I'm fairly good at stalking around, for one."

Jolt nods some and smiles as she ponders "Well you know of any underground access it'd be pretty trivial for me to get inside"

Mystique nods.

Mystique begings to extrude a misty vapour that spreads and covers the terrain around the castle. It doesn't enter the castle but seeps around it and down into any small cracks and openings.

Mystique stares seemingly blindly for a few seconds. "Listen. This is where person are. There are two guards in armor on the roof. Two guards in a security room with monitors for cameras. Four guards eating in the kitchen. The red-headed girl is in the Hangar, working on some equipment. She's dressed in the Black Queen armor, with the faceplate open. Quentin is in the basement lab, with the old man in an adjacent room.

Lorelei waits nervously as Mystique scouts the place out. With her father at risk she's a lot more on edge than normal.

Mystique says, "We should move now."

Lorelei says, "Hm. I'm best against then men, but as soon as I'm seen they'll know something's up..."

Sable says, "I could sneak in ahead and ake out the men in the security room"

Mystique nods. "If you can that would leave Ms Lorelei and myself free to deal with the roof guards.

Sable nods. "Would you like to come too Kibin?"

Lorelei says, "Mystique, can you take me and anyone else who needs it closer?"

Lorelei says, "I'm a bit slow on foot."

Kibin nods at Sable. "Sure, I'll try."

Sable says, "I suggest you guys wait until we let you know over the comms that we've been successful then take out the guys on the roof."

Lorelei nods.

Mystique nods. "Yes but it will be obvious. How close do you need to be, Ms Lorelei, before you can affect the guards on the roof?"

Lorelei says, "They only have to be able to see me."

Sable nods in reply. "Don't move till we call for help or let you know the system is down." She turns to move toward the castle, settling into a low crouch.

Jolt says, "Well if you want I can deal with the guys on the roof... They dont have any guns do they?"

Mystique nods. "I only have to see them. So if the security room is neutralised we can deal with the roof guards form out here and then move everyone close with no alarm given."

Kibin nods. "Sounds good."

Mystique says, "Ms Jolt, can you suppress or scramble their communications when the time comes to engage the roof guards?"

Jolt smiles some "Sure if I get close enough I can destroy all their electronic equipment"

Sable furtively approaches the castle, her footfalls slow and measured, spine curved to keep a low profile as she tries to steer through the network of cameras and sensors, pausing occasionally and even once dropping to hands and knees to stay out of sight.

Kibin trails Sable, also keepng a low profile and following her lead through the security systems.

On the roof, the two guards can be seen talking into their radios.

Mystique says, "Lorelei, let us deal with those."

Lorelei nods!

Kibin whispers to Sable, "Distraction? What are you planning?"

Sable straightens and starts running toward the castle, abandoning any pretense at stealth as she starts closing the distance

Lorelei thinks . o O (Dammit, don't change the plan like that Sable!)

Mystique says, "The guards on the roof, Ms Lorelei. Now I suggest."

Lorelei comes out of hiding and strikes a stunning pose for the guards on the roof, hoping to stop them from reporting what they seen.

Kibin blinks, and stares at Sable... he stays hidden for now, but tries to edge up stealthily underneathe the guys on the roof.

Mystique steps out aside of Lorelei and envelopes the roof guards with a stunning mist.

One of the guards fall over, unconscious from the combined efforts of Lorelei and Mystique. His comrade isn't much better off. He's still up, but barely.

Sable races forward, tearing through the wind-whipped grass of the hillock, her path curving to carry her into the confines of the castle where she begins trying to find the laboratory in the basement.

Jolt takes a moment to figure out her options then uses a magnetic grip on the still conscious/standing one and flip them upside down and vigorously shake them down

The second guard on the rooftop passes out.

Jolt says, "Someone grab their communicators so we know what they're talking about?"

Kibin runs over to the building now that there's no more guards to spot him, and then leaps halfway up the roof and grabbing onto the wall with his claws.

Sable moves swiftly through the corridors of the castle using her best guwss to navigate through the castle to the underground lab.

On the Eastern Wing of the Castle, a hatch opens in the ceiling. The Black Queen appears, rising through the opened roof. She's wielding a new sword today, polished and sharp, unlike the crude one she wielded during the last encounter.

Lorelei says, "Darn."

The robotic Knights appear, flanking the Queen. The Queen's crown is repaired, and it glows. The Knight both zoom towards Kibin, trying to ram him from the side of the castle.

Lorelei says, "It's no good, I'm in the wrong place. I can handle the pawn, but I'm less that useless against the Queen and the robots."

Mystique says, "Then we shall go to them."

Kibin acks, and leaps around on the wall and dodging the knights trying to ram him while keeping a grip.

Two brand new Bishops rise out of the hangar. They hover just above the roof of the building. The Queen points out Mystique to them, and they open fire on the Mist Witch.

Lorelei thinks . o O (Not at me, interesting...)

Mystique wilts from the laser bolts and collapses to the ground with mist streaming from her.

Jolt flies directly at the bishops and opens fire. Unleashing a ball of electrical energy directly at the closest one.

The Bishop explodes, showering bits of debris over the roof of the manor.

The Queen advances, sword drawn, flying for Jolt.

As the Bishop explodes, the Queen's crown sparks. "Damnit," she growls at Jolt, seeming to shake off the effects. "I've had just about enough of you." She sails over towards Jolt, and tries to slice her up with sword stroke.

Jolt seems happy with the result of the exploding Bishop and on noticing the Queen advancing on her "Lady, if me shooting down your robots is hurting you then you REALLY dont want to hit me with that sword of yours" and with that the perpetual lethal damage shield around her flares up into complete and total visibility...

The Queen doesn't hesitate in her attack...

The Queen shrieks as electricity conducts through her sword and into her armor.

The Queen directs the remaining Bishop to fire at Jolt, while the Knights continue to pester Kibin.

The Knights rocket past Kibin as he continues to elude them.

Jolt reduces the second Bishop to smoking garbage.

Lorelei thinks the only chance to save the situation is to get to her father and the king. And as much as she hate to leave Mystique, running for the castle seems to be the only way to do that... with any luck it should draw fire from Mystique anyway...

Kibin hops off the wall and lands on the ground, waiting for the Knights to attack him again...

Mystique stays down, too weakened to be able to even summon Guardian. Trying to keep alert she makes an effort to regain her essense.

The Knight turn and zoom back towards Kibin as if he were some kind of jousting target.

Both Knights miss their mark.

Jolt takes aim and tries to fry a Knight with another blast of electricity.

The Knight explodes, leaving just one more robot outside.

The Queen watches as another one of her robots is destroy. She flies towards the remaining Knight and hops onto it.

Lorelei runs closer to the castle.

Kibin runs towards the final knight, doing a quick jump and slash at it with the claws on his feet, and then jumping back.

Kibin's claws scratch the armor of the Knight, but don't do much beyond that.

Lorelei goes for it and runs into the castle.

Inside the castle, Sable is locked in a melee with four of the Pawns, men in tactical armor. Over the radio channel, she says: "Don't worry about me... I can handle these guys. Just go!"

Mystique has been gathering in some of the mist that seeps from her when she was lased. But she's too weakened to be of assistance to the heroes in their efforts. Speaking on the Safeguard communicator she says, "Tell Guardian what needs to be done." and returns to the elemental planes.

Guardian says, "Huh? What's going on?"

The Queen rides the Knight towards Kibin and slashes at him with her sword.

Lorelei says, "Guardian, Mystique took a hit... we're trying to get my dad out.. he's in the basement of the castle... but you might want to do something about the queen up there..."

The Queen misses with her sword attack, but not by much.

Guardian nods looking around, "The girl in the armor?"

Lorelei says, "That's the one."

Jolt tries to nail the Knight with a blast of electrity. The Knight dodges.

The arc of electricity misses, just.

Kibin ignores the Queen for now, though still staying on the defensive. He tries slashing with his feet at the knight to bring it down...

This attack cuts deeply into the side of the Knight, digging out motors and actuators. It's still functional, but it won't survive another hit like this one.

Kibin leaps and slashes at the knight again, for a followup attack.

The Knight manages to sway to the right, away from Kibin's attack.

The Queen retaliates with a swipe at Kibin.

Kibin barely dodges that attack again, not expecting her to be so accurate...

Jolt takes aim at the Knight knowing its probably the Queen's only method of escape and unleashes that powerful electrical attack at it again. Firing a ball of electrical energy at it once more.

The Knight hovers upwards, avoiding the ball lightning.

Lorelei takes Sable at her word and heads deeper into her castle looking for her father. Had circumstance been different she might have stayed to help, but her father's life might be at risk. How long now since the alarms was raised?

Lorelei's path takes her around a corner and almost face-to-face with a mechanical Rook. The Rook does nothing in response, however. Beyond the machine, there are stairs leading downward.

Lorelei heads past the rook and down the stairs, hoping it's unresponsive because of lack of instructions.

The Rook activates its force wall generator, encasing itself in a protective bubble that blocks the entire hallway behind Lorelei.

This is some sort of underground laboratory, with stone masonry walls and high, vaulted ceilings. Overall the room looks like something from an old Universal Pictures black and white monster movie. There are tanks of chemicals, computers, chemistry work stations, an examination table...

Quentin is inside the room, seated at one of the work stations. Next to him is a sickly old man lying on the examination table. He's got his shirt off, exposing his pruned sunken chest, probably for the electrodes he wears. He's also got an oxygen mask over his nose and mouth. He clutches a small vial that he wears around his neck on a chain.

Quentin looks up at Lorelei as she enters the room. "Stephie!"

This Stephie wasn't expecting. "Dad? What's going on? Are you ok?"

The old man sits up on the examination table and pulls the breathing mask away from his face. He coughs before saying, "This wasn't how I had hoped it would happen... *cough* *cough* ...but as in the game of chess, one must be prepared for any move your enemy will take." By his accent and his voice, it's clear; this man is the Black King. He unstoppers the vial and quaffs its contents.

Lorelei says, "Look, we weren't enemies till you kidnapped dad - what's all this about?"

Quentin says, "I'm alright, but you need to get out of here... He means to hurt you!"

Guardian sees the Queen by the castle wall. She too far away to reach easily but she's super-strong and tough. Maybe there's another way to do something positive. If the castle wall was to fall the Queen might be trapped beneath it.

Guardian smashes through the stone wall of the castle as though it were made from Lego bricks. Bits of stone rain down over the Queen, the Knight, and over Kibin as well.

Kibin, the Knight, and the Queen all get stuck beneath the rubble, at least for now.

Guardian winces a little. Ouch. That stung her soles when she went feet first into, and through, the wall. Behind her stone blocks rain down and the entire structure of the castle shakes a little as if affected by a minor earthquake.

Lorelei gives Guardian directions. Direction which applied when the castle was still standing, anyway. :)

The Black King tears off the electrodes from his chest. He's moving more easily now than he was just moments ago. "What's this about..?" he asks. "I just need one thing from you, dear. Your blood. All of it."

Kibin tries and slashes his way out of the rubble, to get back out on top.

"He's dying, Stephie," Quentin explains. He turns to the old man. "Just let her go! I've promised; I'll do everything I can to help cure you."

Meanwhile, outside, the Black Queen manages to dig herself out of the rubble.

Kibin claws his way out and comes back on top... staring at the Black Queen, who's also out. Dang.

The Black King says, "Now that the girl is here, I don't have much need for your help, Dallimore. The blood of a fae is a necessary reagent to a great number of magics, including the one that will restore me to youth and vigor."

Guardian leaps to the corner and bounces off the side wall before leaping straight at the rook and the stairs. If the Rook wants to get out the way it's welcome but Guardian is going down that staircase no matter what.

The old man slides off of the examination table to his feat. "Hades-potion, drawn from the fountain of Urd. You wouldn't believe how hard it was to come by." He lifts up the table with one hand and hurls it at Quentin with astounding force.

Guardian smashes into the unmoving Rook tearing asunder the force wall and driving the Rook and herself in a tumbling mass of machine and heroine down the stairs and into the basement lab.

The Black King eyes Guardian warily. "Its effects are temporary, but it should last me long enough to deal with your friends."

Quentin is hit by the examination table with all the force of a speeding car. He's slammed backwards into the stone wall. He's unconscious, hurt badly and bleeding.

Lorelei screams in outrage down the radio as her father is smashed. "Ohmygod is there a medic here?! Dad's been hit!"

Jolt decides to forgo the running down to the basement as it seems other people are doing that already and instead helps Kibin with the Queen and the Knight. She zips over to them "Alright fire in the hole"

The Black King turns towards Lorelei. "Don't worry... you'll be joining him soon enough."

The Knight shorts out and falls to the ground, ruined.

Lorelei snarls at the Black King, "If you've killed him - you soon won't *want* to live any longer!"

The Black Queen staggers as her crown crackles with electrical discharge.

Kibin turns towards the queen, noticing the energy discharge on the crown. On a whim, he spins around and tries to target the crown and slice through it with his sickle claws.

Kibin succeeds in slicing through the crown, with it being disabled in a shower of sparks. He wonders what all that controlled...

The Black Queen lashes out at Jolt, angrily. "You're ruining everything!"

To be continued in the next log!