Okay, then. We should mark this location for later, though.

The way I see this, they have three basic possible meanings:

1. We will cut through the barrier and invade unless ou let us in willingly.
2. We will send ships the long way and invade unless you let us in.
3. We're bluffing. FEAR US and please let us in?

I'm starting to wish we'd taken the time to test the Gate. We still don't know if it'll sustain a full portal, though its ability to act as a comm chanel is not a good start.

On the other hand, if we think it's the third one, anybody know how to say, "Not by the hair of our chinny, chin chins!" in Other?

I'm not sure 1 is possible, based on what ADS has said.

2 might be possible, if they have the capacity for fast interstellar flight. If they do, we're screwed no matter what we do.

I like 3, just because we're the US Army. Max can tell them to bite his lily-white ass.

BTW, ADS, just how bulletproof is the Lexan? Will it stop Semo's Mk 48? If not, we'll have to go through the door to get into the security booth.

Well, based on what you're observing, there doesn't appear to be a portal. There's no flash, no visual through to the other side. Now, assume you have a vast empire linked by these gates. Let's assume you can block these Gates. How do you know when it's safe to unblock them if there's no way to talk through them? Therefore, #2 or #3 seem most likely.

The security booth can withstand quite a bit of firepower. Enough sustained fire will probably punch through it, and you do have 550 rounds or thereabouts left (100 per belt, topping off whenever downtime dictates). Stanhill's C-4 will definitely go through it.

admiralducksauce wrote:

Well, based on what you're observing, there doesn't appear to be a portal. There's no flash, no visual through to the other side. Now, assume you have a vast empire linked by these gates. Let's assume you can block these Gates. How do you know when it's safe to unblock them if there's no way to talk through them? Therefore, #2 or #3 seem most likely.

The security booth can withstand quite a bit of firepower. Enough sustained fire will probably punch through it, and you do have 550 rounds or thereabouts left (100 per belt, topping off whenever downtime dictates). Stanhill's C-4 will definitely go through it.

What does the booth control? Since Luis is back at the portal, we can't exactly get him there without a lot of work backtracking. Any chance we can just ignore it for the moment?

Oh, one more question: with MN's power back up, do we have an external comm line? Say, a hot line to the local National Gaurd, Army, or whatever units?

Catching up on the storyline. Expect a Max-posting soon.

Re: communications. Sublevel 4 has the majority of the "call for help" systems. The Gate room -would- have communications, but there's just been too much damage. You can attempt to repair the ones in the Pit or push on to sublevel 4's systems.

Well, then we've got another good reason to take the level, don't we?

Let's fuck up that booth.

Gatac

Consider the booth fucked, sir!

Angel and Hugh can try to determine whether any of the electronics in there still work.

The answer to that is emphatically "no". You poured 90-some rounds in there, and then added 30 more by way of bitch-slapping the drone.

Oh, if you run into this again (minus the drone), your sword might not be a bad way to get through that stuff. Granted, this way was better because you weren't stuck with a melee weapon up against a floating gun platform.

And for a cross-game tangent, that's how I see Marcy's "Overkill" weakness working.

Dice Gods, I beg of you: Let this roll be good.

Gatac

Gatac wrote:

Dice Gods, I beg of you: Let this roll be good.

Gatac

Damn convincing, if you ask me. That was very stylish.

Hot damn, Gatac! If I ever need a negotiator...

OK, here's the deal. That WAS a nice speech, and with your Persuasion and Allergic to Bullshit, you get a 6. Unfortunately, you aren't dealing with Random Mook #13 here, and the Turai negotiator gets an 8.

I've rolled a bonus Wild Die because it was a good speech, and two more of Hugh's personal stash and gotten you up to 7. That's a respectable total, and WILL have an effect, it just won't sway the primary speaker. You have 4 WD left. I can roll 'em till you beat it or you're out, or leave you at 7.

Finally, while you decide that, I'd like to wait for Luis' plan on how he wants to control a raging she-Turai with a penchant for strangling cowardly (or intelligent, depending on how you look at it) teammates with zip-cuffs.

Simple. Either Luis or Melllish pulls her off the other Other, and then put them five feet apart against a wall, spread-eagled. If she puts up too much of a fight, the other Delta shoots her in an appendage. Once that's done, sedate the hostile one. Leave the guy awake as long as he remains helpful. Oh, and bind their ankles too next time.

EDIT: Hell, just sedate her now. Luis goes in with a syringe (assuming he has a sedative left), injects her, then pulls her off. If that's out, a paralytic or a general muscle relaxant will do. As long as it's fast acting. I'm authorizing one WD if the first rolls up no supplies or fails. After that, I'll see what happens.

The 1 WD wasn't enough to hit your target - she went all-out defense, Amo went all-out offense.

Pit initative:
Luis & Amo go at the same time
She-turai
Taylor
Control booth & Hethna Varos

People in the control booth have a fine view approximately 12 feet above the Pit proper, but you've got that same ballistic glass between you and the ruckus. Getting a clear shot to fire means heading out the booth's side door and down a half-flight staircase to the Pit.

Mellish took 3 Wounds, 7 Shock. Oh shit - he's down to 1/6 Wounds, 5/12 Shock, not having been completely healed after his bout with the stinger ambush. Conscious or not, Mellish is staying down for his own good.

admiralducksauce wrote:

The 1 WD wasn't enough to hit your target - she went all-out defense, Amo went all-out offense.

Pit initative:
Luis & Amo go at the same time
She-turai
Taylor
Control booth & Hethna Varos

People in the control booth have a fine view approximately 12 feet above the Pit proper, but you've got that same ballistic glass between you and the ruckus. Getting a clear shot to fire means heading out the booth's side door and down a half-flight staircase to the Pit.

Mellish took 3 Wounds, 7 Shock. Oh shit - he's down to 1/6 Wounds, 5/12 Shock, not having been completely healed after his bout with the stinger ambush. Conscious or not, Mellish is staying down for his own good.

Damn. For the record, I am stupid. Should have gone with my gut, "Seperate or I shoot." I suppose I'm stuck with melay combat of some form, right? Anybody have some advice for digging me out this hole I've walk right into?

EDIT: I don't think my question about the Frisbee being uable as a specific heal, rather than just a general patch-up was ever answered, but if there's more control to it, could I use it to sever some voluntary nerves or something? The major arm nerves, for example? Alternately, do I still have the syringe ready to use?

Does the She-Turai have on armor?

#1 If so, Max will be moving to a get a clear shot with his P90, brace/aim/fire.

#2 If she does not, would Max have enough movement/time to put on the Turai helmet and fire the Whap Rifle? If so, then he'll do so...aiming for the best "don't hit Mellish" shot possible. If not, see #1.

Dieter wrote:

Does the She-Turai have on armor?

#1 If so, Max will be moving to a get a clear shot with his P90, brace/aim/fire.

#2 If she does not, would Max have enough movement/time to put on the Turai helmet and fire the Whap Rifle? If so, then he'll do so...aiming for the best "don't hit Mellish" shot possible. If not, see #1.

Even if she did, we've had bad experiences with their IFF stuff. Don't chance using their weapons on their armor until we've had a chance to test it out more. Stick with the P90, and take out Amo. Luis is closer to the She-Turai and has a high intitiative. He can handle it, and if ADS will answer my questions, I'll figure out what I want to do. Amo, on the other hand, is farther away, has a lower initiative relative to the control booth, and is the element that really could decide this fight.