Ex Machina; Infiltration

[animusmods]

Characters: Riki and the infiltration team
Setting: administrative levels
Format: any
Summary: Riki's efforts must be sabotaged. Stealth is the name of the game and time is of the essence.
Warnings: psychological horror

Though the chipped unit does not follow, he sees to it that the team advances the rest of the way. At the end of the lit corridor is a set of double doors, heavy-duty polished metal with small windows set into each one.

Through the windows, a massive machine is visible, connected to thousands of holographic screens that are hard to make out at the speed at which they're being manipulated. The machine sits in the center of the room and is networked to four elaborate terminals stationed along the walls via a complex tangle of panels, wires, and towers. Each of these terminals controls its own set of floating screens; the sheer amount of holographic monitors in the room is disorienting, and really, it's hard to tell what's connected to what.

In the chair in the middle of the enormous set-up is Riki, maneuvering all of the screens with the same ease with which most people breathe. His back is to the doors that lead into the room, and for the moment, he is utterly engrossed in his work.

Comments

[evokingfool]

[He doesn't know what a Scrapper is, but he can make a reasonable assumption based on the context.]

Hopefully, we get to talk to Riki by the end of this instead of fighting him. But if a fight starts out, I hope we don't get to kill him.

[Riki may have lied to them about what he's using the energy for, but Minato knows letting him die may potentially make things worse. It can possibly make things better, but that's rather unlikely.

Especially if Riki bites it, that would leave them with just Ruana and Zo.]

[megazero_to_superhero]

Talkin' him outta dis would be ideal. But I ain't much of a negotiator.

[David glances toward the door for a moment, as if he can see past it and see everything in the machine room beyond. Which he can't.]

Killing him, though ... yeah, bad idea. Lord knows Ruana'd show up for suppertime if we did.

[David punctuates that sentiment with a grimace.]

[evokingfool]

...Yes. She'd likely come and eat him if we can't keep his body away from her.

[Minato didn't want to go that far, but he rather dispose of Riki's body before letting Ruana gain more powers from eating him.]

By the end of the countdown, we're likely to face off with Ruana. We can't give her any more power if we can help it.

[megazero_to_superhero]

You got any ideas on how we can subdue Riki if it comes to a fight?

[David glances around at the people assembled. He knows almost nothing about the powers and abilities of most of the people here—bringing Riki to heel without killing him would almost certainly require teamwork from all those with non-lethal means to fight.]

[evokingfool]

[He shake his head.]

While we can probably restrain his limbs, it won't help if he can break free with any powers he have. And if we don't know how they work or their limitations, we'd risk injuries learning about them.

[megazero_to_superhero]

[David readjusts the cigar in his mouth, frowning as he does so.

Which means da most practical option is beatin' him to an inch of his life if he don't wanna talk.

[Trading one risk for another ...]

[evokingfool]

That seems to be the case... I hope we don't resort to that.

[Things are already strained enough when some of the residents are reluctant to trust Riki.]