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

[stitchedupbodyguard]

Veronica didn't need the addition of a buff spell to make her take action. Silently, she charged forward, slashing at every machine monster that got close with her swords.

The monsters kept rebuilding themselves, but she would just keep taking them apart.

[animusnpcs]

The door bulges outward in response to Tobias's ramming it. Then the door creaks and opens a little in response to Xion's keyblade--but an electrical pulse shoots through it and it seals off again.

The air begins to take on a silvery tint. The machine monsters are, for now, mostly kept in check self-repairing.

[puppy_lancer]

"What?"

It takes a moment for Lancer to realize Minato is calling to his Persona, and then he goes back to hacking at the monsters. It's annoying to know that now his real powers are back, he still can't use Gae Bolg's actual power.

...Or could he?

He throws a quick look at the door and Xion.

"Hey, if you get the door open, I think I've got an idea."

[sageprincess]

They have to get out of here, they can't hold the machines off forever. As much as she'd rather help Asch defend, Zelda turns around, facing the sealed door. As soon as Tobias is out of the way, rearing up for another hit, she hold out her arms to blast the door with the magic that once held down a demon king.

Hopefully it'll at least soften it up for him.

[slightlyoblivious]

"Shit."

The word is out of Yukiko's mouth before she can stop herself. The hissing noise and the silvery air are presenting a problem: the first rule of fire magic is that you don't use it when there's a risk of setting the air itself on fire. Yukiko is all too aware of that, which is why she hasn't risked summoning her Persona until now.

As it stands, though, she's also not able to do a lot without it.

That said, there's one thing she can do, and that's make sure everyone is okay. She summons Konohana-Sakuya and casts a Mediarahan on the group - if the machines have done any damage, it's healed now.

[notayoungkitten]

"There must be something I can do," Ocelot says, finally having regained her composure. She's not stupid enough to fire a gun at the door, but she instead turns, aiming her revolver.

The bullets may be film, but the velocity at which they exit the chamber wouldn't change, she reminds herself. She fires one at one of the tentacles. It's not likely do to as much damage as a sword could, but maybe it'll be enough to stun one however briefly.

[crouching_sin]

Naoya considers his options, and then decides to discard some of them. He grins a bit and then does his best to dodge around people, heading for Riki's machine to see if he can get anything out of it. There's plenty of fighters here, and what they might be able to get out of it could be useful.

[midgarhorizon]

Reno sees Naoya make a run for the machine, and considering he has no actual powers outside of using Materia (which he has none that isn't film), he follows after him.

"Naoya, I'll watch your back." He's thinking even if they blew the mission, if they can destroy the machine or disable it, maybe it's not a lost. "I ain't goin' to get that door open."

[animusnpcs]

The machine looms silently in the center of the room, currently inactive. The silvery tint to the air is thicker in this direction.

The tentacle is pushed back by the revolver's bullet, but it soon swallows up the film and incorporates the new material into itself.

The door squeals as the metal is pushed further by Zelda's magic.

[evokingfool]

Instead of joining the battle or the door assault immediately, Minato dismissed Cu Chulainn in favour of another Persona. The warrior disappeared into the brief blue light again, as he fired his evoker again.

"Suzaku!"

The crimson bird let out a cry, before it spread its wings as the Masukukaja spell fell on everyone within the spell's range. Enjoy that speed boost while it last.

They needed it, from how that silvery tint seemed to grow thicker...

[bloodyashes]

Reno and Naoya slipping towards the machine is noted, even as Asch prepares another Thunder Blade - most of the people in the room have ally markings and are safe from his artes, but not all of them, and so he's careful to keep his aim away from Veronica in the midst of the machine battle.

"Just be ready to run if they do get that door open," is the comment he gives them before letting another sword of lightning bolts fall on the machines, practically on top of (but not harming) Arturia.

[crouching_sin]

Naoya started checking the machine over to see if there was some kind of memory card or flash drive stuck in there. Anything could be useful, as long as they got it back out. The tint to the air worried him, but he couldn't let that stop him.

[warriorscribe]

"Lucifel!" Enoch calls out, desperate. Maybe the angel was trapped inside like he was, maybe he was stuck on the outside. (That's not up to this player to say, but either way,) Lucifel does attempt to teleport them out of there...only (to avoid making the mod say it twice) to do absolutely nothing. Everyone affected only blinked out of existence before returning as if nothing had happened at all.

"Shit..." Enoch mutters under his breath - not that anyone could appreciate this rare occurrence. He glances about - no room at the door now, the machines are being kept in check...he runs for the door Riki left through. Is it any different from the other door? Are there any potential weaknesses? He's all but useless without his weapon...

[animusnpcs]

Naoya will find himself slowing to a stop, unable to move. The door Riki left through has vanished entirely.

[morphballin]

There's a flash of light, and Samus's power suit attempts to form - it only does partially, however. Her boots, boosters on her back, and her gun materialize, as does a tracing pattern of circuits on her exposed skin. She charges a blast, the tip of her cannon glowing brightly as she aims it toward the door before releasing it.

...after all, shooting doors worked at home!

[notachickenhawk]

Tobias backs up and charges the door, throwing all of his weight against it. It's got to break at some point. There's not much else he can really do here, anyway.

[midgarhorizon]

Worried about the silver tinted air, Reno tries to drag Naoya back from the machine using his longer javelin he made after that unfortunate boar incident, using its reach to try and knock the guy back towards Gandalf and the others.

[animusnpcs]

The door cracks and crumples, revealing a hallway teeming with techno-tentacles. The silvery air begins to thin out. Naoya can be dragged back, but he'll find any abilities begin to go off without his control, as if something were testing him out.

[puppy_lancer]

While everyone else is trying to help with the door, Lancer is still tangling with the monsters. He moves over toward Naoya and Enoch, hoping to protect them.

"Hey, door's open. Hurry up!"

[no_longer_a_king]

"Go!" Arturia roars, still fighting the techno-tentacles in the room. She glances at the door, pauses in her slashes for a moment before continuing. "You have to flee! Move now!"

She's resigned herself to the fact she will die here, but she will not let the others die if she can help it.

[morphballin]

...well, that worked. And opened a door into something worse.

Samus sets her jaw, and aims for the various tentacles, and opens fire, repeatedly. Her base blaster doesn't hit very hard, but it hits fast.

"I'll keep them occupied while I can!"

[crouching_sin]

"Leave me!" He can feel it, something activating his spells, and he stares at the Megidolaon forming in his hand. "Get back!"

He shoots it off, doing his best to avoid hitting people. "Stay away from the gas!"

[warriorscribe]

Enoch turns as Lancer calls, stares out at the writhing tentacles beyond. What had happened to the retrieval unit that had led them down here?

No, wait. As much as he wanted to run...

"We can't all leave! Now there's no doubt he's against us we can't let him take this room back!"

[puppy_lancer]

Lancer's grip on Gae Bolg tightens.

"Then clear everyone out! I'll take care of the room!"

...By blowing it up.

[notachickenhawk]

Tobias yells in thought-speak, hoping to get the attention of some of the retrieval units. <Hey! We need some help down here!> He charges forward, trying to clear some of the tentacles.