”You have some sort of astral over watch in mind?” Laurie asked, conscious of the fact that her Manhunter was no long range sniper rifle. ”I can do that, just need somewhere to hold up where I won’t be too vulnerable. You can drop me up here.” she adds, noticing an airport coffin hotel from a fairly reputable chain.

”I’ll follow you onto the site and let you know if I spot anything out of the ordinary. These guys had some juice too, so I’ll need to keep a low profile, magically speaking.”

Laurie patrols the Astral while Bailey goes in to the meet. Any other preparations?

Laurie slots her cred at the coffin hotel's automated teller and climbs up the ladder well to the fifth level catwalk. Finding her tube, she shuffles herself inside.

Laying back and breathing deeply, she sets her heavy pistol on her chest and slowly eases her consciousness out of her body. Slipping through the cold dead walls of the hotel, she rises above the building and rises her arms and faces the dark sky over the bay. "Spirits of the east and of the air, I call on thee..."

summoning an air watcher elemental

Bailey slides her pistols under the seat of her car. Somewhere out of sight, but within easy reach if she needs to duck to avoid some fire. She breaths in, deep and steady, bracing herself. Her eyes scanning the port as she pulls the car slowly toward the meeting place. Steeling herself. Focusing in on herself. Her muscles, her body. Everything that she was likely going to need to be ready to unleash in a moment's notice.

OOC: I'd like to spend an Essence for Enhanced Ability. I'll raise Combat, just to play it ultra safe.

@Laurie

Conjure 16:33, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Laurie, rolled 6 using 2d6+1 ((3,2)). Fail Take 1XP

If the spirits hear, they do not come...

or Edge Bump Weak Success, essence 5/6, services remaining 1, take 1 stun

The small air elemental materializes to do your bidding...

@Bailey

Enhanced Ability 16:36, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Bailey, rolled 8 using 2d6+1 ((3,4)). Weak success

You feel the power surge through your muscles as your combat skills become magically enhanced.

Essence 5/6 ... choose an attribute that is weakened while Combat is enhanced

OOC: Let's lower Craft. I don't think I'll be doing too much solving here.

Will take the success and the stun

Turning to the elemental, Laurie ordered it to watch her corporeal body and warn her if anyone attempts to unlock the coffin hatch or approaches in the astral plane.

The automated shipyard is a maze of metal, fumes and noise. It is a place of ceaseless movement where robots move shipping containers and smaller drones manage cargo handling tenders.

@Laurie It is disturbingly dark. There is no life, nothing glows between the hollow shells in the mechanical hive. No spirits wander here. It is abjectly and unequivocally dead.

@Bailey It is disturbingly dark. Spotlights shine outwards from the fence that surrounds the shipyard, but beyond the fence it is pitch black. As you approach, there is an automated gate, not even access is controlled by a living thing.

Laurie [/] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] - Essence 5/6
Bailey [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] - Essence 5/6

Disgusted by the desolation created by profit incentives and rabid consumerism, Laurie floats down to the Toyota stopped near the gate.  She slides through the dead metal back into the passenger seat where she briefly manifests, a ghostly presence, glowing pale blue and translucent.

”No signs of ambush that I can see” she says.

"Great. Well... That's at least one thing we can cross off the list. But just in case, let's stay ready..." Bailey murmurs, unsure if Laurie can even hear her. She pulls the car up toward the gate, hoping that the automated sensors aren't looking for any confirmation other than the presence of a vehicle. If not, she readies herself to bound the gate. Not the easiest thing but... She'd leapt bigger.

”I’ll be here.” Laurie replies fading into darkness. She flies up past the access gate, leaving the car behind and hovering above keeping watch.

Bailey slides from the car, and looks up and over the fence. Well... There really only looked to be one way up. She bounces from one foot to the other for a moment. Shaking out, inhaling deeply. A bolt, a running sprint toward the gate. Bouncing her foot off the wall, taking it in bounds.

Bailey is up and over the fence in an effortless instant. Inside the compound, the darkness envelops you, after about fifty meters you have only the dim moonlight to light your way. Around you it is a wall of sound. Grinding metal on metal, the high pitched whine of drone gyroscopes and sputtering electric engines are all that greets you.

High above, Laurie spots a Hyundai Equus approaching the gate. It comes to a stop back where you have left Mindi's Elite. Inside she sees the glowing life essence of two passengers but there is something strange traveling with them. Something walking between the world of life and death. A magically animated abomination, only alive by the barest of definitions, it has been so tainted by the machine.

The Equus comes to a stop and the three passengers get out. The driver (peer) checks over Mindi's Elite while the passenger (peer) and the cyborg (nemesis) keep lookout.

Roll out the red carpet: this must be the folks who asked for a meeting. Guess it's time to chat.

or

This is no place for a meeting, it's obviously an ambush: you have the drop on them, you only get one chance to light them up using the element of surprise.

If this were a trap... They probably would've opened fire from afar. No reason to drive up. Bailey nods, biting her lip. And she heads back up, over the other side. Landing between the Elite and the fence.

"Hey," she says, leaning over the hood of the car. "You rang?"

As Bailey sails over the fence, three guns come up...



...pistols bark in reply.

Combat!
Bailey [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 2 / Edge 3 / Essence 5
Laurie [/] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Incorporeal / Edge 2 / Essence 5

Thug - Driver [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1
Thug - Passenger [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1
Cyberzombie [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 3

(1) Laurie has the drop
(2) Bailey has cover
(3) None of the threats have cover

Drek, drek, drek. Laurie cursed mentally, hovering over the pitched battle.  Spirits of the south, spirits of earth and stone, I call on thee, bring forth a protector...

Not taking any chances, spending 2 essence, 1 edge to boost the summoning

As the spirit materialized, Laurie pointed to Bailey. Let no harm come to her.

Conjure 23:27, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Laurie, rolled 6 using 2d6 ((5,1)). boosted WEAK SUCCESS

Another wave of fatigue washes over Laurie as dirt swirls up in a tsunami of dust and large chunks of asphalt break free of the driveway, coalescing into a towering creature of rock. It stands between the goons and Bailey, bullets pinging harmlessly off its concrete skin.

Combat!
Bailey [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 2 / Edge 3 / Essence 5
Laurie [/] [/] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Incorporeal / Edge 1 / Essence 3
Earth Protector [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1 / Services 1

Thug - Driver [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1
Thug - Passenger [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1
Cyberzombie [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 3

Shit. This was... Not great. Bailey ducks down behind the Elite. The door opens, and she pulls her pistols from beneath the seat. Ok. Note one. Don't leave your guns in the car. Now for part two- getting into position. Bailey leaps forward, bounding over the trunk of the car. To the other side of the parked Hyundai. That would be a better position to open fire from. Hopefully.

The sudden appearance of a ten foot tall monster of asphalt and concrete seems to have shaken the two goons. One hesitates, the other fires wildly.

The cyborg seems to be unaffected and it’s smartlink tracks Bailey as she dives for new cover. Shotgun slugs fired from its cyber arm are getting closer…

Fight? Flight?

Fight!

Bailey's pistols come up. She opens fire, taking aim at the cyborg. If they wanted to play rough...

From the ethereal sidelines, Laurie calls on her power to create a chaotic swirling mass of confusion around the attackers...

Cast a Spell, Chaotic World, 3 Essence

Laurie: Cast a Spell 14:20, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Laurie, rolled 7 using 2d6+1 ((1,5)). WEAK SUCCESS

Bailey: Rock & Roll 14:21, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Bailey, rolled 8 using 2d6+2 ((2,4)). WEAK SUCCESS // Gunfighter -1 Essence

Laurie is again hit with a wave of fatigue as she conjures a swirling storm of chaotic light and sound that surrounds your attackers. Essence -3, Take 1 Stun, Bailey takes +1 forward (sustained)

Bailey dives for one of the thugs, grabbing him in a tight headlock and using him as a human shield, firing her pistols with preternatural accuracy, sparks flying off the cyborg's metal chest. Dmg 4 / two guns +2 / Armor -3 / AP cancels 1 armor = 5 halved = 3

The remaining thug and cyborg return fire, with complete disregard for their comrade. Dmg 4 / multiple shooters +1 / Chaotic World -1 = 4 split between Bailey and Thug

The thug is struck full in the chest. Armor -1 / AP cancels 2 armor = 2

And bullets tear chunks of concrete out of the monster as it moves to protect Bailey. Armor -1 / AP cancels 2 armor = 2

Combat!
Bailey [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 2 / Edge 3 / Essence 4
Laurie [/] [/] [/] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Incorporeal / Edge 1 / Essence 0
Earth Protector [X] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1 / Services 1

Thug - Driver [X] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1
Thug - Passenger [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1
Cyberzombie [X] [X] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 3

It was all Laurie could do to sustain her magic against the fatigue and strain. It could be worse though, she could be out there in the meat world dodging bullets too.

Sustain Chaotic World, Bailey takes +1 forward

The man Bailey had deadlocked spins away as she shoves him. A kick to the chest, a bullet aimed toward his hip. Sending him tumbling back into the other thug that had been in the car. Bailey was already on the move, though. Keeping herself mobile- dodging bullets was way, way easier than not bleeding out. One of her guns ejecting the clip. Replaced with a flip of her wrist, more bullets leaving her chic little half jacket.

OOC: More! Ass kicking!

Laurie: sustains her spell

Bailey: Rock & Roll 09:23, Today: Mr. Johnson, on behalf of Bailey, rolled 10 using 2d6+2 ((3,5)). STRONG SUCCESS

Laurie's magic provides ample distraction. Bailey takes +1 forward (sustained)

While Bailey's pistol bark in angry reply to the ambushers. The shot to the hip grievously wounds the Driver and he drops to the ground. Dmg 4 / Armor -1 / AP cancels 1 armor / spell +1 = 5

The goons return fire, but Bailey moves too fast and their bullets all go wide.

Combat!
Bailey [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 2 / Edge 3 / Essence 4
Laurie [/] [/] [/] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Incorporeal / Edge 1 / Essence 0
Earth Protector [X] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1 / Services 1

Thug - Driver [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [X] [ ] :: Armor 1 - prone, badly wounded
Thug - Passenger [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 1
Cyberzombie [X] [X] [X] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] [ ] :: Armor 3