| From: | Ereskanti@***.com Ereskanti@***.com |
|---|---|
| Subject: | [Story] Log Entry (Third Translation) |
| Date: | Mon, 31 May 1999 12:06:48 EDT |
CTAC <06:22:10/02-27-61>
[Artemis] Clear, gentlemen, please step into my Closet.
[Greaser] Hmph...
[Metal] Online ...
[Daisy] It's about time.
###The closet was a godsend. Donny has joined Hive and HAL inside the
Unimatrix construct and has got two of his and Jynx' friends to help us by
taking direct control of two more of the crash testers. Metal is checking
out the designator system, while Tempest is making sure the machine pistol
we're giving Daisy works well enough. I give off my shotgun to Metal, once
he's familiar with the workings of the drone. Tempest then does a quick
systems check on his crewtac, and ensure that the connection to everyone is
working well.
Hive, HAL and Donny then release the masses. Okay, so their tiny masses. 4
modified whirlers, one my gyroballs, Hive's beekillers and the Kobold Killers
are released into the air duct of the closet (after disarming it's automation
sequencer). HAL and Hive then begin to have them make their way upwards.
They get the interesting job. They're going to try and reach 1835 and the
access panel Hive and I found there previously. Us, we're still on B13, and
about to begin our true descent down.###
[Greaser] Beginning checklist...TAPS/FDDM?
[Frankenstein] Check: Kenny's linkup shows static.
[Padre] Got it.
[Greaser] BTAC FNF?
[Metal] Check. So all I do is point the designator and ...
[Artemis] Everything not firing a gun automarks to your designator and opens
fire for you.
[Greaser] Check that. HAL, are you done reloading the ammo on the PAC to
single shell?
[HAL] Check. Drones have made it to B11. Invasion has begun. Dirges are
injecting psychotropics into two greens btw. Two Kobolds created...<Mortal
Combat Synth>IT HAS BEGUN!</Mortal Combat Synth>
[Greaser] Firing autoalign?
[Daisy] Check. Secondary weapons on this thing are melee, right?
[Tempest] Check.
[Greaser] Engaging ARCNAV, Hive, hope you got us in the SPUCAD readouts.
[Hive] You are go. Unimatrix-6 is active. Architectural schematics are
available at a blink of eye. Literally for those of you without datajack
uplink.
###Okay, this is where most people would otherwise go bonkers. What looks
like a real of old-style movie film suddenly scrolls across the top of the
HUD and inside my visual cortex. Mentally pick a frame, and your HUD
displays that image in master form. We can seem visuals from the drone
invaders, as well as from any of our POVs here where we are. Hell, there are
three coming from Kenny, and at least 6 from Igor and Goliath, counting their
weaponry. Everybody is in "cold mode" for now, except for the units they are
direct link up with. Red frames highlight three of the Crash Testers, as
Hive, Daisy and Metal are in residence there.
A 3-dimensional textured map of the arcology is rotating in one frame, and if
I concentrate on it, it comes into command, and will autorevolve and image
enhance to any location either on file in the Unimatrix. The SPUCAD is
automatically making changes as we note them to it to the diagrams.###
[Tempest] Move, we have spider-types.
###We're out in the hallway, and mobile again. Our destination is the
maglift tube on this level. We plan on bypassing it's systemware and sending
it on it's merry way elsewhere in the building. We're going to use the tube
itself to descend at least 4 floors if all goes well.###
[Artemis] Arrival ... what the hell?
[HAL] The access terminal has been replaced with a flat plate of metal.
[Hive] Scanning.
###Hive's CTester walks up to the thing, and his MAD reader is operating.###
[Hive] The whole mechanism has been removed. I think there's a hardline unit
on the other side of the plate. Options?
[Padre] Pull it, do it. Do it fast. Jynx..
[Jynx] On it.
###Hearth spirit is called upon, but Jynx says it feels strange. No doubt
the effects of the suppression of wills that Deus is performing. The astral
is thick here too, worse than that concert for Shield Wall I went to in
London last year.###
[Hive] Panel access is hardlined, it'd mean direct system access.
[Greaser] Contact.
###Right then, things get interesting. At one end of the "L" passage section
we are in, a Dervish clears the corridor, and extends monowhips and starts
progressing towards us. We've been made, don't know where exactly, but we
have. At the other end, a Medusa is spotted, maybe two of them. They seem
to be keeping their distance however. Probably acting as IVIS interfacings
for the Dervish.###
[Padre] MOVE!
###The metal of the magtube suddenly ripples in the middle, with the final
ripple actually creating an apperture in the process. Greaser whirls and
opens up with the Assault rifle at the Dervish, which takes a hit at the
base. Tempest whirls, and brings up his grenade system (MGL makes 'em nice)
on the Medusa before they get any closer.
A second Dervish appears behind the first one, and the darts start firing.
By this time, the group is entering the tube. Kenny and the drones take to
the plated walls of the shaft, and just go down. Everyone else is heading
for the rungs. One CTester (Daisy) grabs hold of Igor, while the others
provide cover fire.
A spider mechanic comes from the passage where the Medusa were, and brings
it's own assault rifle to bear. Barrier spells help provide cover, and we
are put into a defensive retreat into the tube.
As the last of us enters the tube, the Dervish just procedes to follow us in,
it's monowhips and dikote darts continue as it just spins into what for it
will be a death drop. For us, it will mean certain death.
Greaser brings up his assault rifle, and Kenny's MPL autotracks in on the
motion of the rifle. Both fire simultaneously as Greaser pulls the trigger.
One concussion grenade strikes full bore at the base, and the MPL remains
active at the midsection of the drone. It explodes into a mass of flying
debris and shrapnel, half of which is the storage of those damn darts.
Several of us get hit by debris, but the drones' direct assault on us is
thwarted for now.###
[HAL] Contact!!! 300 meters and closing.
[Tempest] Get the door!!! Now..!!
###Tempest, Metal and Hive all reach for the door at the level immediately
below the one we started on. It's power is on however, and if it weren't for
the gridlink relays in the CTesters and Tempests insulated suit, they would
have fried right there just by touching it. As it is, they being prying the
damn thing open. Frag' if that isn't the strangest sight too, because I can
see the faint glow of electricity sparking and arcing around them as they do
it.###
[Greaser] Down, Roll Active NOW!
[HAL] Target designation locked.
###There are moments in my life when I fully expect to not see the next
second, let alone next day. Greaser's activates that damn rocket system
thing he brought and integrated onto his armor. Stupid Ork is going to get
us killed with those damned weapons, but none of us could argue the fact that
if a fubar situation did happen, we would likely need them to survive long
enough to confound Deus' system.
The ballista rolls, opens, fires, a beam of UV light is visible from my HUD,
as HAL has poised Goliath's designator (he wasn't close enough with the BIG
drone to open the damn doors) upon the target.
Deus has sent one of the magvators straight down the mainbar at us. Fucking
thing is probably hitting near Mach-1. Rocket strikes the magvator full on
at just over 110 meters from ourselves. Resulting backlash washes down the
tunnel at us, spraying us with even more debris.
Artemis and myself make major efforts with barrier and deflection magics to
keep the larger debris from scraping our asses from the walls of the tube.
Kenny has joined the door crew, and shorts out the power restraints on the
door (thank you Donny, I saw that message reach the little guy). The door
flies open, and people and drones begin pooring into the hallway, the last of
us making it in just as the largest debris goes roaring past us.
My heartrate monitor is tracking almost twice what it should be for a healthy
limit. I'm glad my wife isn't seeing this.###
(cont.)
